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26-908m Improve Patient Safety with No-Cost Quality Resources

Date: 07/28/26

Access benchmarking data, performance insights and expert support to strengthen quality outcomes

Hospitals can use no-cost quality resources, benchmarking data and expert support to improve patient safety and quality performance. Resources are available to help hospitals evaluate performance, monitor progress and support better patient outcomes in key quality and safety areas, including:

  • Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)1
  • Sepsis care
  • Readmissions
  • Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades
  • Cal Hospital Compare Patient Safety Honor Roll and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Care Honor Roll

What hospitals need to do

Hospitals should evaluate their performance and use available resources to support ongoing quality improvement efforts.

  • Review performance related to HAIs, sepsis care, readmissions, Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades and Cal Hospital Compare Honor Roll recognition.
  • Use Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), Hospital Quality Institute (HQI), and Leapfrog resources to identify performance gaps and opportunities to improve, monitor progress and benchmark results.
  • Participate in Leapfrog’s Annual Survey. Learn more at Leapfrog Survey.
  • Ensure your hospital has joined the HQI National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) group to access enhanced analytics and benchmarking tools.

Use HSAG tools

HSAG provides quality improvement tools and expert guidance to help hospitals strengthen patient safety performance. As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-funded Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Western Region, HSAG offers:

  • Access to quality improvement experts who can help hospital quality teams identify priorities, develop effective improvement strategies and troubleshoot barriers.
  • Quality resources and tools to support patient safety initiatives at  HSAG - hospitals.

Track performance on priority metrics with HQI data

HQI provides dashboards, benchmarking and analytics tools that help hospitals monitor patient safety performance and compare results against state and national trends.

  • Use HQI dashboards to review quality trends and custom measures.
  • Join the HQI NHSN group to access enhanced analytics benchmarking and quality performance tools.
  • Be aware of HQI offer to support health equity reporting requirements under Assembly Bill 1204, including guidance on 2026 updates and reporting extensions. (Small fee required.)
  • Contact HQI’s analytics team with questions.

Participate in Leapfrog Survey

Leapfrog programs help hospitals evaluate, track and publicly report patient safety performance.

  • Participate in Leapfrog’s Annual Survey to identify opportunities to improve, establish goals and monitor progress on key metrics. Survey participation demonstrates commitment to safety and quality and ensures data are available for metrics used in Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grades.
  • Contact Leapfrog with survey or Safety Grade questions at Leapfrog Help Desk.

Share your quality and safety achievements

Hospitals can publicize top quality and safety results to demonstrate their commitment to patient safety and high-quality care. Sharing these results can help patients make informed healthcare decisions and highlight the hospital’s achievements.

Need help? Contact us

For more information about hospital quality programs and available quality improvement resources, contact Barb Wentworth, Ph.D.,.

1Priority HAIs include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, Clostridioides difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and colorectal surgical site infections.

 

This information applies to Hospitals.

This information applies to Medi-Cal in Fresno, Kings and Madera counties.
 



Last Updated: 07/27/2026