Hospitals, Clinicians Can Make Healthcare Safer by Working With Patient Safety Organizations

Hospitals and clinicians that want to make healthcare safer for patients can benefit from working with a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). These entities were created as part of the Patient Safety Act of 2005 and encourage individual providers and healthcare organizations to voluntarily report quality and safety information confidentially and without fear of legal discovery. A large majority (80 percent) of hospitals that work with a PSO found the feedback and analysis from PSOs to be helpful in preventing future patient safety events, a recent survey found. Access a list of PSOs certified by AHRQ. Access a new brochure from AHRQ that explains the benefits of working with a PSO.