Since 2001, the Making Healthcare Safer (MHS) reports from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) have evaluated patient safety practices (PSPs) to guide healthcare improvements. The latest edition, MHS IV, launched in 2022, continues this mission by prioritizing critical topics and providing updates on patient safety progress. While advancements have been made in reducing adverse events, recent findings, including reports from the National Academies and the Office of Inspector General, highlight ongoing challenges, with preventable harm still affecting a significant portion of patients. The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the need to refocus efforts on patient safety.


Rosen MA, Shekelle PG, Treadwell JR, et al. Making healthcare safer IV: Marking a quarter century of patient safety improvement. Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management. 2024;29(3):123-127. doi:10.1177/25160435241265792