New Data Reported by Patient Safety Organizations Highlight COVID-19 Concerns

A new analysis of nearly 5,500 records of patient safety concerns voluntarily reported for inclusion in AHRQ’s Network of Patient Safety Databases (NPSD) found that a patient testing positive for COVID-19 or being investigated for carrying the virus was the most frequently reported concern in more than one-fourth of the records (26.6 percent).

The NPSD, an evidence-based management resource for healthcare providers, Patient Safety Organizations and others, was established to encourage voluntary reporting of information that could be used for national learning to improve patient safety and prevent harm. In more than 18 percent of the records analyzed, exposure of patients and staff to individuals who had tested positive for COVID-19 was identified as a patient safety issue or unsafe condition.

Select to access the new Data Spotlight, Patient Safety and COVID-19: A Quantitative Analysis of Concerns During the Public Health Emergency.