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.

National Steering Committee Co-Chairs

• Craig Umscheid, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Patricia McGaffigan, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

National Steering Committee Leadership

• Erin Grace, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Tejal Gandhi, Press Ganey

National Steering Committee Members

• Paul Abramowitz, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• David Bartholomew, American College of Healthcare Executives
• Robyn Begley, American Hospital Association / American Organization for Nursing Leadership
• Jeff Brady, Highmark Health
• Rosha Champion, Association of American Medical Colleges
• Gerard Cox, VA National Center for Patient Safety, Veterans Health Administration (VA)
• Missy Danforth, Leapfrog Group
• Shannon Davila, ECRI
• Akin Demehin, American Hospital Association
• Chris DeRienzo, American Hospital Association (AHA)
• Susan Edgman-Levitan, Massachusetts General Hospital, IHI Lucian Leape Institute
• Rollin J. (Terry) Fairbanks, MedStar Health
• Andrew Furman, Executive Quality and Safety Consultant
• Amy Gibson, American Board of Medical Specialties
• Thomas Granatir
• Danielle Harris, US Food and Drug Administration
• Helen Haskell, Mothers Against Medical Error
• Martin Hatlie, Project Patient Care
• Rita Jew, Institute for Safe Medication Practices
• Gary Kaplan, IHI Lucian Leape Institute
• Steve Littlejohn, Patient Family Representative
• Helen Macfie, IHI Faculty and Executive Consultant, Healthcare Performance Improvement
• Tilithia McBride, Federation of American Hospitals
• Troy McCann, DNV
• Stephanie Mercado, National Association for Healthcare Quality
• Stephen Muething, Children’s Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety
• Mallika Mundkur, US Food and Drug Administration
• Minda G. Nieblas, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Jade Perdue-Puli, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Cheryl Peterson, American Nurses Association / Nursing Alliance for Quality Care
• Anne Marie Pizzi, DNV
• Susan Reinhard, AARP
• Suz Schrandt, Chief Patient Advocate
• Michelle Schreiber, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Daisy Smith, American College of Physicians
• Arjun Srinivasan, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Marijin VanOort, American College of Healthcare Executives
• Ron Wyatt, Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine

This report provides clear direction and 17 recommendations that health care leaders, delivery organizations, and associations can use to make significant advances toward safer care and reduced harm across the continuum of care.

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The Self-Assessment Tool, a supplemental resource to the National Action Plan, assists leaders and organizations in deciding where to start. An online version of the Self-Assessment Tool is also available.

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The Implementation Resource Guide, a supplemental resource to the National Action Plan, details specific tactics and supporting resources for implementing the National Action Plan recommendations.

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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.

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