September 2025 — Patient safety is more than a clinical concern; it is central to trust, economic resilience, and Pittsburgh’s reputation as a healthcare hub. As the city balances its industrial legacy with a growing innovation economy, its healthcare institutions are emerging as pioneers in patient safety, setting examples that extend far beyond Southwestern PA.
In 2024, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority received 315,418 reports of patient-safety events through the statewide reporting system, the largest of its kind in the nation. This represented a 9.5% increase from the prior year, including a 7.3% rise in serious events.
While these numbers might seem worrying at first glance, experts interpret them differently…