Conclusions and recommendations

A set of 24 definitions of patient safety terms and a framework illustrating the connection of the five core terms of the vocabulary are available for use in Europe. The vocabulary is aimed at professionals, e.g. risk managers, administrators, project managers and others working with patient safety. The vocabulary covers the domains: “Detection of Risks”, “Analysis of Risks”, “Resulting Actions” and “Failure Mode”. The vocabulary is available in English language via simpatie.org.

European patient safety cultural differences were revealed in discussions on definitions of the terms, their relations and usability. This underlines the need for common definitions of terms as a basis for mutual understanding in the cross cultural European works on patient safety.

One aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members, this aim may be pursued in promoting the vocabulary. Especially the vocabulary serves as a basis for applying evaluation tools of the toolbox of WP4 and WP5, but also European patient-safety programmes should use the same language, consistent terminology, and be focused around similar concepts, which the vocabulary supports.

The vocabulary is explicitly neither a taxonomy nor a classification of adverse events. For such works wee would like to refer to the International Patient Safety Event Classification by the World Health Organisation (15).

In this context, we strongly recommend the vocabulary and the vocabulary framework (Diagram 1) made accessible in the European countries. It should be translated into the European languages using a standardised method and adequate local implementation strategies developed; health-care organisations, professional and scientific bodies and educational institutions should be made aware of the existence of the vocabulary, be encouraged to use it suggested so that the key elements can be put into everyday practice