Primary care plays an important role in identifying, avoiding and mitigating patient safety issues. This report highlights several patient safety priorities and how small (<10 providers) primary care practices can promote safe practice and outcomes for their patients.

Understanding factors that contribute to adverse events (AE) is key to preventing them from recurring. This study used an electronic trigger tool to identify potential AE in two dental practices. Of 439 charts reviewed, 13% contained at least one AE. The most common AE was post-procedural pain; the expert panel reported 21% of those AEs were preventable. Person-related factors (e.g., supervision, fatigue) were the most common contributing factors.

Improving medication safety in ambulatory care settings is a patient safety priority. This qualitative study with primary care teams across four sites in the southwestern United States explored approaches to improving medication safety. Respondents emphasized the importance of customization and individualization (e.g., simplifying medication regimens for certain patients) and described how the principles of high reliability can help teams anticipate and respond to medication safety risks.

The American Academy of Pediatrics' Policy Statement, "Preventing Home Medication Administration Errors", called for improving medication safety at home for children with medical complexity. This article describes a toolkit for pediatricians to support implementation focusing on four interventions: establishing practice-based error reporting systems, standardizing medication reconciliation, improving communication, and integrating resources for patients and families. Of particular importance is the use of health literacy-informed, culturally sensitive resources.

Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality is a critical patient safety priority. Developed by the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM), this patient safety bundle provides guidance for healthcare teams to improve the prevention, recognition, and treatment of infections and sepsis among pregnant and postpartum patients.

True partnership with patients and families in safety work is an important yet elusive goal. This commentary outlines elements supporting engagement as part of an ambitious global plan and awareness campaign to ensure medical error reduction efforts are fully informed and enriched through the application of the patient and family experience in health care.

Low personal health literacy is associated with increased post-discharge adverse events and health inequities. This commentary describes organizational strategies to improve health literacy, including elimination of jargon in written and spoken communications and assessment of health professionals’ patient-centered communication tools.

Accurate dosing and administration of liquid medications to children can be difficult for parents or caregivers. In this study, family caregivers and clinicians described their experiences at hospital discharge relating to both general and liquid-specific medication counseling. Clinicians and caregivers both stated that teach-back protocols were helpful but inconsistently used. Caregivers were not always shown how to draw up liquid into the syringes leading to them feeling uncertain about giving the correct dose. Health literacy and speaking languages other than English were also described as challenges.

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) allows patients to remain in their homes while still receiving disease management. This study involved patients with chronic conditions who were receiving RPM and clinicians (nurses and physicians) who were providing RPM. Clinicians described the importance of knowing patients' level of health literacy and ensuring they understand when someone is reviewing their remote data (e.g., not on weekends). Patients reported feeling more confident, knowing someone was checking on them weekly. Overall, both groups had positive perceptions of patient safety.

The public is increasingly using conversational assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to find medical advice and self-diagnose. This narrative review summarizes three facets of safety: system (data privacy/security), patient (risks of acting on inaccurate information), and perceived (patient trust in the system). Future research should address all three safety facets, and the results should be transparent to consumers.

Providing in-home care for home-dwelling adults presents unique patient safety challenges. This qualitative study with 13 registered nurses in Sweden explored how nurses ensure safe home health care among home-dwelling older patients. Findings highlight the importance of continuity of care, trust between patients, caregivers, and nurses, and adapting safety requirements to meet environmental conditions and maintain a sense of home.