[Patients as vigilant partners - patient involvement in patient safety]

Patients can contribute to the improvement in patient safety. They are usually vigilant observers of the care they receive and can provide information about adverse events and safety-related processes. In addition, they can help to prevent errors by active engagement in safety. This potential for involvement in error prevention is increasingly acknowledged internationally. Educational material has been developed and can be used to instruct and motivate patients to monitor care for failures and errors and communicate their observations towards health care workers. Preliminary research suggests that this approach can be successful in improving patient safety.