Each year, the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) publish their Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report. This report is more than a list; it’s a call to action for the healthcare industry.
By understanding and addressing these challenges, healthcare organizations can implement smarter, system-wide solutions that reduce risk, protect patients, and improve outcomes. This report provides a guide for staying a step ahead in patient safety — and a resource to demonstrate your commitment to making healthcare safer for everyone.
- Risks of Dismissing Patient, Family, & Caregiver Concerns
When patient concerns are overlooked, the result can be delayed diagnoses, emotional distress, and health disparities. Building trust requires actively listening, addressing bias, and ensuring patients feel heard. Strategies can include using open-ended questions, educating patients on their rights, and providing staff training to overcome biases.
- Insufficient Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare
AI offers incredible potential — but without clear governance, it poses risks such as bias, privacy breaches, and clinical errors. Best practices to address these concerns include forming multidisciplinary AI oversight committees, training staff, and transparently communicating AI use to patients.
- The Spread of Medical Misinformation: Empowering Patients Through Health Literacy
Online misinformation can cause patients to delay or avoid their treatments. Combating this starts with organizational and personal health literacy — from educational campaigns and community partnerships to fostering strong provider-patient relationships.
- Medical Errors and Care Delays from Cybersecurity Breaches
Cyberattacks can disrupt care, delay treatments, and damage trust. Integrating cybersecurity into organizational policy, establishing downtime procedures, and conducting regular response drills can help protect patients and systems.
- Unique Healthcare Challenges in Caring for Veterans
Veterans may present health conditions related to military service that providers are not always trained to recognize. Screening for service history, educating clinicians on veteran health, and building partnerships with veteran organizations can help improve outcomes.
- The Growing Threat of Substandard and Falsified Drugs
Counterfeit or substandard medications, often purchased online, pose serious health risks. Training staff to identify these drugs, educating patients on safe sourcing, and establishing reporting systems are key defenses to the growing threat of falsified medications.
- Diagnostic Error: The “Big Three” — Cancers, Major Vascular Events, and Infections
Missed or delayed diagnoses of cancer, vascular events, and infections account for a large portion of serious patient safety concerns. Solutions should include multidisciplinary reviews, leveraging evidence-based toolkits, improving access to diagnostics, and adhering to screening guidelines.
- Persistence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities
Infections in long-term care facilities can cause significant harm. Prevention requires infection control management strategies, staff training, patient/family education, and the use of electronic risk identification tools for early detection.
- Inadequate Communication and Coordination During Discharge
Poor discharge processes can result in readmissions and medical errors. Standardized discharge summaries, proven handoff tools like SBAR or I-PASS, and patient-centered education can strengthen transitions.
- Deteriorating Community Pharmacy Working Conditions Contribute to Medication Errors and Compromise Patient and Staff Safety
Overworked and understaffed pharmacy environments can lead to errors and burnout. Addressing workload, centralizing refills, and involving staff in process improvements can protect both patients and pharmacists.
Playing our part in improving patient safety in healthcare settings
MEDITECH’s software and clinical decision support tools are designed to ensure patient safety is a top priority. For example, MEDITECH's EHR Patient Safety Review Board provides guidelines, education, and action plans to reduce Patient Safety Events and improve customer satisfaction. To further this initiative, the Customer EHR Patient Safety Advisory Board (CEPSAB) was formed.
Sponsored by the EHR Patient Safety Review Board, the customer board consists of nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and quality experts. These key players work with MEDITECH’s Implementation, Client Services, and Development Divisions to ensure a timely resolution of priority patient safety issues. The CEPSAB provides guidance to all who develop, implement, and service MEDITECH’s solutions. This interdisciplinary team is dedicated to creating the safest possible use of our EHR solutions across all applications and from all healthcare stakeholder perspectives.
Key takeaways
These patient safety challenges affect every part of the care continuum — and all healthcare leaders have a role in addressing them. By leveraging integrated, intelligent, and clinician-friendly tools, you can demonstrate leadership in quality care and make measurable progress on today’s top patient safety priorities.
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