National Steering Committee for Patient Safety
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) convened the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety (NSC) as a collaboration among 27 national organizations in the US committed to advancing patient safety. IHI charged the NSC with the creation of the first US national action plan for patient safety.
A Total Systems Approach to Safety
Safer Together: A National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety
17 recommendations for making significant advances toward safer care and reduced harm across the continuum of care
Declaration to Advance Patient Safety
Calls for health care leaders to take collective and coordinated action using the National Action Plan
Self-Assessment Tool and User Guide
Assists leaders and organizations in identifying where to begin their patient and workforce safety improvement journey
Implementation Guide
Details tactics and supporting resources for implementing the National Action Plan recommendations
National Steering Committee Members
In the face of continued unacceptably high rates of harm, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement convened the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety (NSC) in May 2018 to encourage greater coordination of collective patient safety efforts. Organizations were purposefully selected for their demonstrated commitment to accelerating the improvement of safety, reducing harm, and working with others to spread best practices.
Membership in the NSC is voluntary and includes leaders from 27 organizations representing health care organizations and health care systems; patients, families, and care partners; professional societies; safety and quality organizations; regulatory and accrediting bodies; and federal agencies.
Together, members developed a vision statement and core principles to guide the work of the NSC and the creation of the National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety to address areas of need and advance collective progress toward establishing total systems safety.
Resources
Safer Together: A National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety
The National Action Plan and supplemental resources — Self-Assessment Tool, Self-Assessment Tool Resource Guide, and Implementation Resource Guide — help health care leaders, delivery organizations, and associations make significant advances toward safer care and reduced harm across the continuum of care.
Declaration to Advance Patient Safety
In May 2022, the NSC issued the Declaration to Advance Patient Safety to urge health care leaders across the care continuum to recommit to advancing patient and workforce safety with a total systems approach, as presented in the National Action Plan.
IHI Safer Together Recognition Program
Celebrate your organization's commitment to advancing quality and safety. The IHI Safer Together Recognition Program acknowledges the achievements of hospitals that have made significant strides to improve patient and workforce safety by implementing proactive changes in systems and processes.
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