National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety Launches National Healthcare Safety Dashboard

According to a Dec. 5 press release, the National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety (NAA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the National Healthcare Safety Dashboard.

The dashboard is an online resource that aggregates hospital safety data from four primary measurement sources— creating one inclusive resource for understanding the current state of patient and workforce safety.

“Safety is critically important for patients and the healthcare workforce,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “During the Biden-Harris Administration, we have increased access to affordable, quality care and improved conditions and opportunities for the dedicated workers who care for us and our loved ones. Building on these successes, we are taking an important step to improve safety for patients and the health workforce.”

The press release stated, “The National Healthcare Safety Dashboard makes national safety data more transparent, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of healthcare safety by care setting, beginning with hospital care. It opens doors to information and best practices to empower healthcare provider organizations, patient advocates, policymakers, professional associations and others to monitor national safety progress and make informed decisions to improve safety nationwide.”

The first version of the dashboard offers access to hospital safety data and will expand to include other healthcare settings, such as ambulatory clinics and nursing homes. The data sources include:

• AHRQ’s Hospital Patient Safety Indicators from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project
• AHRQ’s Hospital Medicare Adverse Events from the Quality and Safety Review System
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Reporting Program Safety Measures
• AHRQ’s Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (SOPS) Hospital Survey