Improving quality of care for better patient outcomes

9 September 2025,10:00–11:30 (CEST)

Event highlights

The event focused on strategies to strengthen quality of care across the WHO European Region and emphasized that delivering high-quality health services – safe, effective, people-centred and affordable – is essential for achieving better patient outcomes.

“Our commitment is clear – to close quality gaps in our health systems. We look forward to quality being a key and core component of the forthcoming second European Programme of Work, with stronger health systems at its core, and better outcomes for patients and for the workforce,”  noted Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director, Division of Country Health Policies & Systems, WHO/Europe.

During the session, experts presented 9 key recommendations to guide Member States in advancing quality and patient safety.

1. Integrate low-value care reduction into national quality of care and patient safety policies.
2. Set measurable targets for quality improvement, including the reduction of low-value care, and include these in routine performance assessments.
3. Establish evidence-based standards to tackle poor quality and low-value care across all health-care settings.
4. Ensure patient and public participation in national health governance structures to strengthen accountability and responsiveness.
5. Re-design care models to reflect patient needs and preferences, fostering a more people-centred approach.
6. Invest in the health and care workforce, building capacity and skills for delivering high-quality care.
7. Promote outcome-based financial models that incentivize quality improvement and the reduction of low-value care.
8. Invest in digital health solutions that support quality improvement, enhance patient safety and improve efficiency.
9. Develop multistakeholder policies that reinforce both the quality and affordability of health services.

“Only one third of countries in the WHO European Region have an updated national action plan for quality of care and patient safety, and only 1 in 10 countries ensure that patients contribute to decision-making on health,” underlined Dr João Breda, Head, WHO Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens, and Special Representative and Officer in Charge, WHO Country Office in Greece.

By proposing these suggestions, WHO/Europe aims to inspire Member States to take decisive action on quality of care, reduce low-value care and prioritize outcomes that matter most to patients. Strengthening quality of care is not only critical for better patient outcomes, but it is also essential for building resilient health systems, supporting health-care workers and promoting equitable access to services across the Region.

Through this event, WHO/Europe continues to foster a strong community of practice, encouraging knowledge sharing, collaboration and innovation. By focusing on quality improvement, the Region can achieve better health outcomes, a more efficient use of resources and a stronger, more patient-centred health system for all.

Event notice

Quality health care is essential for achieving universal health coverage and the objectives of the second WHO European Programme of Work. The quality of a health-care system is often judged by its ability to deliver care that is effective, efficient, safe, timely, equitable and patient-centred.

Low-value care is one of the most pressing problems in health care across the WHO European Region because it increases costs, harms patients and undermines their trust and confidence in health systems. It also demotivates the health-care workforce and has a negative environmental impact. Reducing low-value care strengthens the sustainability of health systems by ensuring that the growing demand for services and limited resources can be balanced without compromising care standards.

The session will explore ways to enhance quality and reduce low-value care in order to improve patient-centred outcomes and will showcase partnerships between policy-makers and patients that have the power to transform care. Participants will also hear inspiring real-world stories about the impact of quality of care. The event’s main objective is to inform Member States on how they can further improve the quality of care and encourage them to join the community of practice dedicated to improving care quality.

This event is part of a series of side events to be held in the weeks preceding the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC75), engaging delegates, partners and health experts on developments, initiatives, tools and new reports relevant to health across the WHO European Region.

The event is being organized for Member State representatives, non-State actors, partners, academia and WHO collaborating centres. Participation in the event is by invitation only.