Patients as partners for improving safety.

Abstract

Safety is a crucial aspect in any medical treatment. The awareness that patients can play an essential role in the prevention of errors and adverse events has increased over the last decade, connected to the movement for patient empowerment. Patients are no longer "objects" and "victims" of a treatment, but are alert observers and partners and become an active "last barrier" for the prevention of errors. This new role is challenging: for the patient as it requires action in a vulnerable period of dependence and the courage to intervene at the right moment; and for the caregivers who are facing a patient who is critical and dares to speak-up.