Belgian-Led Project Aims to Improve Patient Safety Across Borders

The University of Liège and CHU de Liège launched the IMPRESS project on July 9, 2026, to enhance patient safety in the Meuse-Rhin region of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. The initiative will develop a toolkit for hospitals focused on incident reporting, clinical simulation, and debriefing.

The project responds to a 2024 study indicating frequent undesirable events during hospitalizations. Professionals will first receive training on the toolkit before it is tested in ten hospitals.

At least 300 healthcare professionals and 1,500 patients will participate in the initial phase, aiming to reduce preventable harm and strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems. Researchers will measure the toolkit’s impact on patient stays, experiences, and perceptions of safety. Successful results could lead to wider implementation regionally and internationally.