CELEBRATING INNOVATIVE PROJECTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PATIENT SAFETY
Inspired by the ‘butterfly effect,’ where even small actions can create far-reaching impacts, this award honours projects that have successfully implemented innovative practices with measurable, evidence-based benefits for patient safety, emphasising a no-tech or low-tech approach.
As stated by Pedro Vieira Dos Santos, Vice-President of the European Patient Safety Foundation:
“Our goal with this award is to encourage exchange and mutual learning. This is why we chose to highlight projects not restricted by commercial licences, whose creators are committed to sharing their practices openly for broader adoption. Because, at the end of the day, it would be wonderful if these good ideas could be adapted and reproduced in other healthcare environments across Europe.”
WHY WE ORGANISE THIS AWARD?
-
To recognise implemented innovative practices with evidence-based impact on patient safety
-
To demonstrate that patient safety can be strengthened through no-tech and low-tech solutions
-
To promote exchange and mutual learning across Europe
-
To highlight projects with potential for wider adoption and replication
-
To foster collaboration between national patient safety bodies and healthcare organisations
HOW THE AWARD IS ORGANISED?
The Butterfly Impact Award is presented annually during the European Patient Safety Conference, bringing visibility to outstanding initiatives in front of a European audience of healthcare professionals, patient representatives, policymakers, academics and industry stakeholders.
Finalists are invited to present their projects during the Conference, creating an opportunity for direct dialogue, knowledge exchange and potential collaboration.
SELECTION PROCESS
A committee of Patient Safety experts evaluates the submitted project, using a pre-defined evaluation criteria.
The evaluation criteria include: level of innovation, impact on patient safety, level of involvement of healthcare professionals and/or patients, feasibility and replicability of the practice to other contexts and countries.
Three finalists are invited to present their projects at the EUPSF Conference and the audience decide about the ranking through the interactive voting at the end of the session.
For the 2026 edition of the European Patient Safety Conference taking place on 4 December 2026 in Brussels, Belgium, we are proud to introduce the third edition of the Butterfly Impact Award: Small actions, Big Changes in Patient Safety, aimed at recognising outstanding contributions to patient safety.
Submission deadline:
1 September 2026 23:59 CET
Participation Rules
-
Only individuals from healthcare organisations
(hospitals, primary care settings, patient organisations, universities and schools,…) may submit a candidature
-
Each individual can submit a maximum of two projects
-
The projects/initiatives presented are based on a non-technological, low-tech or open source approach
-
The projects / initiatives must have been implemented or at least tested in healthcare settings
-
The project/initiative should ideally be supported by a scientific publication.
-
The project or its deliverables are not protected by a commercial licence.
-
By participating to the award, the authors seek dissemination and further use of their innovative practice across Europe.
-
The project must be submitted in English.
Information and documentation to be provided:
Each candidate will have to fill in the submission form and upload the project description (in an abstract form) of maximum 2 pages using the project submission template. A maximum of 6 authors can be included.
2026 Award Session
Three finalists will be invited to present their projects at the 2026 European Patient Safety Conference (5-7 min max). The audience will decide about the ranking through the interactive voting at the end of the session.
Winner Session
After the conference, the 1st place winner will have the possibility to present the project in detail during a dedicated webinar organised by EUPSF.
Other Award Benefits for the Winning Project
The winner of the 2026 BIAPS will benefit from dedicated support by the European Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF) to help disseminate and upscale their initiative across Europe.
This support will include:
-
Promotion through a dedicated press release announcing the 2026 BIAPS Winner
-
Visibility on EUPSF social media channels, through a dedicated post and mention in relevant updates
-
An article in the EUPSF Newsletter to present the initiative to our wider network
-
A strategic meeting with EUPSF to discuss the next steps for broader dissemination and scaling, identifying opportunities and connections at European level
While our resources are limited, we are committed to ensuring that the award not only recognises the work of the authors but also actively contributes to the continued growth and impact of the winning project.