The Betsy Lehman Center submitted a solutions-oriented annual report to the governor and legislature last week, underscoring the need for more comprehensive information and coordinated action on safety to drive down the incidence of preventable harm to patients. 

The report also points to ways in which preventable medical harm contributes to costs, stresses a health care system already operating at capacity, aggravates health inequities, and contributes to burnout and attrition among health care workers. 

Use the links below to navigate to key sections of the 2024 annual report: 

• 30 years after Betsy Lehman’s death, preventable harm happens every day in health care settings across Massachusetts 
• The consequences of unsafe care strike patients and families first before rippling across the system, impacting cost, capacity and equity 
• Information about patient safety outcomes in Massachusetts falls far short of what everyone needs to know 
• Game-changing action is necessary…and is now possible 
• From paper to impact: Initial Roadmap action steps 
• Looking ahead: Momentum is building for new thinking and approaches  

In the report, the Center's Executive Director, Barbara Fain, acknowledged the many organizations and individuals that are helping to shape an effective, coordinated approach to improving safe care for Massachusetts residents through the Massachusetts Health Care Safety and Quality Consortium. 

"Massachusetts has a long history of successful collaboration and leadership around urgent health policy issues," Fain wrote to the governor and members of the legislature. "Because the actions known to improve safety also will accelerate progress on cost, capacity, workforce, and equity, elevating safety on the policy agenda and investing in new approaches prescribed by the Roadmap will strengthen the entire health care system." 

In addition, the annual report offers progress updates on three key action items stemming from the Consortium's 2023 Roadmap to Health Care Safety for Massachusetts: