[Patient's safety as the key issue in quality of health care]

The safety of the patient is discussed, in the offered article, tightly related with the promotion of the quality of medical care rendered to population. Data from various countries (Australia, Great Britain, Denmark etc) about damage, made to the patient's health at medical interventions, are presented. Some mechanism, related with the collection of information, as well as measures used to warn the population against the preventable damage to patients' health are described. The WHO recommendations on paying more attention to patients' safety are illustrated. The related activities implemented in Russia are depicted; and measures, needed to promote such activities, are indicated.