Yesterday was Patient Safety Day, with this year’s theme “Patient Safety from the Start.”

Every child has the right to safe, quality health care from the beginning, with the adults in their lives needing to advocate for that care.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region, said often newborns and young children face higher risks due to their rapid development, evolving health needs and different disease patterns.

“Sometimes children also face added challenges depending on your socio-economic circumstances. Sometimes it’s harder for them to get the care they need, there are things in this world that make them more susceptible to harm if care isn’t specifically adjusted to their age, size, health condition and context.”  

Krentz added that Patient Safety is a top priority with the Northern Health Region and something they strive to achieve daily.

Some of the factors they specifically prioritize include medication errors, surgical events, health care associated infections, diagnostic errors, patient accidents and environmental events.