Patient Safety Continues to Improve as Hospitals Implement Safety Measures

January 09, 2026

New data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Vizient shows patients are benefitting from hospitals’ and health systems’ ongoing emphasis on patient safety and quality improvements.

The AHA published a report in September 2024, indicating that hospital and health system performance on key patient safety and quality measures had improved over 2019. Data collected this year showed that performance overall continues to improve.

“Hospitals and health systems work every day to advance patient safety and quality of care. This report reflects the strength of a long-standing commitment and highlights the continued dedication of hospital teams nationwide to improving care and outcomes for the patients and communities they serve,” the report states.

Here are a few key takeaways:

Measurable Improvement: According to the data, patients in the second quarter (Q2) of 2025 were, on average, 30 percent more likely to survive than expected given the severity of their illnesses compared to the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2019.

More lives saved: More than 300,000 patients in hospitals from April 2024 to March 2025 survived episodes of care they wouldn’t have survived in 2019. These survival rates are a direct result of hospitals’ safety efforts, the report shows.

Greater medical challenges: The numbers show hospitals cared for more patients in Q2 of 2025 than Q4 of 2019. What’s more, these patients had more complicated and severe conditions.

Infection rates drop: In Q2 of 2025, rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections were 24 percent lower than Q4 2019. In addition, catheter-associated urinary tract infections decreased 25 percent during that period.

Screenings skyrocket: The AHA report indicated that preventative screenings for breast and colorectal cancer increased 95 percent from Q4 2019 to Q2 2025.

Read the AHA and Vizient report online