MEP Pedicini: “Patients play a pivotal role in the prevention of HAI”

What is the cause for the prevalence of HAIs in Europe?

The main cause of threat to patient safety is the political interference in the appointment of managers and other health professionals, which implies lower healthcare quality standards. That is the reason why we stressed in the report that Member states should “ensure that health managers are appointed on the basis of their merit and not of political affiliation”.

Moreover, the austerity measures that some member states have applied to the health sector have a negative impact on patient safety, for example the reduction of medical personnel or of hygiene specialists increases the risks for patients to get healthcare associated infections.

What could be the role of patients and patient organisations in the prevention of HAIs?

Patients and patients’ organisations play a pivotal role in the prevention of HAI. It is essential to empower patients with key information to enable them to take informed decisions and give an informed consent. We need to make sure that patients and their organisations are actively involved in the treatment decision-making.

HAI can be prevented by adopting a patient-centred approach to medical treatment and by promoting the humanisation of treatments, for instance, providing home-care medical treatments, which can help patients psychologically and result in better healthcare performance.

What are the next actions you will undertake in patient safety?

I will keep working on this important topic at the European Parliament. I will also follow closely the work of DG SANTE and the EU working group on patient safety and quality of care. From bilateral meetings with the European Commission, we understood that the EC welcomes and shares the main messages of this initiative report, which will be used as a basis to justify further action to increase patient safety.

Piernicola Pedicini

Piernicola Pedicini

Piernicola Pedicini is a member of the European Parliament and the coordinator of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) for the EFDD Group in the Parliament. A medical physicist by training, he has worked in research and healthcare, placing a special emphasis on patients’ rights in his activities. Before joining the European Parliament, Mr. Pedicini was the health director of the regional cancer hospital of Rionero in Vulture (Potenza), Italy.

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Piernicola Pedicini

About Piernicola Pedicini

Piernicola Pedicini is a member of the European Parliament and the coordinator of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) for the EFDD Group in the Parliament. A medical physicist by training, he has worked in research and healthcare, placing a special emphasis on patients’ rights in his activities. Before joining the European Parliament, Mr. Pedicini was the health director of the regional cancer hospital of Rionero in Vulture (Potenza), Italy.

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