Supporting World Patient Safety Day
World Patient Safety Day was established in 2019 by the World Health Organization (WHO), to enhance the global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in the safety of health care, promote global actions and reduce patient harm.1
At Bayer, we take great pride in always putting patient safety and well-being first, ahead of everything else. It is at the core of all that we do and more than just an obligation. That’s why we are proud to have supported World Patient Safety Day since the beginning. Over the years, we have developed various tools and supportive materials to educate and inform the public about patient safety.
This year, Bayer is again conducting various activities to raise awareness on Patient Safety Day across the globe. In Germany for example, the team is sharing infographics on how to stay safe when taking multiple medications for chronic heart failure. This aligns with the official theme for World Patient Safety Day 2022 – ‘Medication Safety’, with the slogan ‘Medication Without Harm’.1
At a Global level, our activities will focus on healthy aging, a highly relevant topic and an important one for Bayer.
Click here to read an article by Michael Devoy and Alexander Biedermann about the global challenges of an aging demographic, both at a societal and healthcare level.
Patient Safety Day 2022
Healthy Aging
With age, the chance of developing illnesses such as heart failure or chronic kidney disease increases.2,3 There are several known risk factors for developing chronic heart and kidney conditions, which could be avoided or at least minimized.4,5 People cannot always protect themselves from becoming ill. However, if these risk factors are managed well and preventative lifestyle measures are adopted, the likelihood of developing future illnesses decreases.4
Most of us are aware of the measures we should take to lead a healthy life – such as eating a healthy diet and being active regularly. It can, however, be hard to recognize the importance of doing so when we are young.
Click below to watch the following short videos that contain tips for how to keep healthy as you get older:
Healthy aging through the decades
Reversing aging
The importance of a healthy diet
The importance of exercising
The importance of stopping smoking and mental health
[To view the videos with subtitles in your preferred language, please click on the gear icon in the YouTube settings, select “subtitles/CC.”, choose the language you want to use from the list, and the captions will appear on the video.]
Protecting your Heart and Kidneys
We recently conducted a survey asking 50 heart failure and chronic kidney disease patients to share guidance for the younger generation about healthy aging, and suggestions for fellow patients on how to manage their condition. The quotes below capture their advice:
In alignment with the WHO theme, ‘Medication without harm’, for this year's Patient Safety Day, Bayer is also drawing attention to the danger of counterfeit medicines.
For more information on how you can protect yourself, click here
We aim to educate and empower patients to identify Heart Failure symptoms and manage side effects arising from polypharmacy. For further information, please view the videos below:
A glimpse in the life of a patient with worsening Heart Failure
Click here to watch a video, created by Bayer, that shows a story of a Heart Failure patient (available in English only)
Signs of worsening Heart Failure
Click here to watch an instructional video, created by Bayer, that shares tips and techniques for identifying and managing worsening Heart Failure (available in English only)
Common side effects of Heart Failure medications
Click here to watch an instructional video, created by Bayer, on the management and monitoring of side effects of Heart Failure drugs (available in English only)
Polypharmacy among Heart Failure patients and how to manage it
Click here to watch an instructive video, created by Bayer, on the management of polypharmacy in Heart Failure (available in English only)
To listen to a podcast developed for World Kidney Day that focuses on the value of early diagnosis and barriers to communication between healthcare providers and people with diabetic kidney disease click here. (On the webpage that opens, please scroll down to the section ‘Learn more about World Kidney Day supporters’, select ‘Bayer’ and click on the Play button.)
Managing existing conditions, for example, diabetes and high blood pressure, is also crucial for maintaining healthy, functioning hearts and kidneys.4,5 Did you know that developing heart failure increases the likelihood of getting chronic kidney disease – and vice versa?4,5
To help raise awareness of the importance of healthy aging, Bayer has enrolled the help of two wise old friends, Mrs H and Mr K, who have remained in great health as they have gotten older. Click through their story below to see the important guidance they have provided to the younger generation of hearts and kidneys on how to age healthily and protect themselves from illness.
The story contains the following four chapters:
Chapter 1: What do we do and why are we important?
Chapter 2: What can happen when we get older?
Chapter 3: What can we do to stay healthy?
Chapter 4: What can we do if we do get sick?
We hope you enjoy exploring the materials created for Patient Safety Day 2022, and that you will use the various hints and tips to help you lead a healthy and happy life!
References
- World Health Organization. World Patient Safety Day 2022. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/09/17/default-calendar/world-patient-safety-day-2022. Last accessed: May 2022.
- Strait JB, Lakatta EG. Aging-associated cardiovascular changes and their relationship to heart failure. Heart Fail Clin. 2012 Jan; 8(1):143-164.
- Prakash S, O’Hare AM. Interaction of Aging and CKD. Semin Nephrol. 2009 Sep; 29(5):497-503.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Heart & Kidney Disease. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/heart-disease. Last accessed: May 2022.
- National Kidney Foundation. Heart Failure and CKD: What you need to know. Available from: https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/Heart_Failure_and_CKD_2018.pdf. Last accessed: May 2022
Job codes: MA-OTH-ALL-0046-01 and MA-OTH-ALL-0049-01
Date of preparation: August 2022
