In 1999, an American study came to the conclusion that more people die from medical errors than those from auto accidents, breast cancer or AIDS. There are no standards by which patient safety can be measured. In India, awareness levels for patient safety measures are dismally low. There is an urgent need to wake up to this aspect of healthcare that has assumed Herculean proportions in the last few years. It is never too late!

• Make patient safety a awareness priority amongst healthcare personnel and patients
• Create a healthcare culture of safety
• Initiate routine safety assessments
• Implement vigorously known safety practices
• Incorporate patient safety into all healthcare professional training
• Deal promptly with professional misconduct leading to medical errors