Patient safety is HHC's highest priority. From housekeepers to trauma surgeons, HHC hospitals and clinics have embarked on a multi-year campaign to increase safety for patients and promote a fair, just and open culture of learning, prevention and accountability.

HHC is setting aggressive, measurable goals to reduce such preventable events as hospital-acquired infection, untreated early stage cardiac failure and medication errors. HHC leadership is building a solid infrastructure to support a robust patient safety program that touches every facility. Patient Safety Officers ensure safety is part of the fabric of every function and clinical effort. Senior Executives conduct rounds to assess patient safety concerns shared by staff and tackle issues immediately. Hundreds of HHC staff regularly participate in awareness and training. HHC's 39,000 employees have access to an intranet site to share best practices and highlight successes. And a patient safety awards program encourages competition and innovation among all facilities.

HHC is well on the way toward the ultimate goal, to become one of the safest healthcare systems in the nation by the year 2010.