Advancing Patient Safety in Home Health and Hospice

As the U.S. population ages and patient preferences shift toward aging in place, demand for home health and hospice providers continues to rise. Around 12 million Americans now receive care at home each year, and projections show that number will only grow. But with this rise comes a growing need for better systems to ensure safe, consistent, high-quality care¹. 

Unlike hospital settings, home-based care environments vary widely. Patients are supported by a combination of paid caregivers, family members, and clinicians, often with limited face-to-face interaction and inconsistent documentation. These factors can complicate care coordination and increase the risk of safety events such as medication errors, infections, falls, and preventable hospitalizations. 

We believe post-acute care should never mean lower safety standards.  

At QAPIplus PSO, our mission is to help healthcare providers champion a culture of safety and excellence. Our comprehensive Patient Safety Organization (PSO) leverages a powerful point-of-care software solution that simplifies data collection while promoting standardized reporting practices. The result? Greater transparency, accountability, and collaboration across healthcare organizations. 

Key components of this initiative include leadership engagement, fostering a safety-first culture, improved communication, and the strategic use of data to drive meaningful improvements. By bridging the gap between healthcare providers and the PSO, QAPIplus PSO empowers organizations to enhance patient safety, improve healthcare quality, and create lasting change in the industry. Together, we can build a safer, stronger healthcare system. 

Safety Risks Hidden in the Home 

Studies show that adverse events in home health and hospice settings occur at rates as high as 20–30%, yet they are vastly underreported. There are several reasons why2: 

• Lack of standardized definitions for what qualifies as an adverse event 
• Fear of repercussions among staff for reporting incidents 
• Manual, fragmented systems that make tracking and analysis difficult 
• Varying levels of training among caregivers and support staff 
• Unstructured living environments that introduce unpredictable variables

These challenges aren’t just operational, they’re deeply human. When safety concerns go unnoticed or unresolved, they impact the dignity, comfort, and well-being of people who deserve the best possible care in the place they call home. 

Data-Driven Safety Starts at the Point of Care 

To move the industry forward, we need more than anecdotal evidence. We need structured, real-time data that brings safety trends into focus. QAPIplus addresses this head-on with a point-of-care data collection system purpose-built for home health and hospice teams. 

Our platform allows clinicians and staff to document safety events as they happen, using standardized categories that align with CMS requirements and the National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety. This includes: 

• Falls 
• Infections 
• Medication errors 
• Adverse drug reactions 
• Sentinel events 
• Patient grievances 
• Abuse or neglect 
• Unusual occurrences 
• Hospitalizations

With this structured data in hand, providers can perform real-time root cause analyses, track trends over time, and develop interventions that move the needle. 

Supporting the National Action Plan with Technology  

QAPIplus PSO is fully aligned with the National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety, focusing on four essential pillars: 

1. Leadership engagement: Safety culture starts at the top. We help leadership teams embed safety metrics into QAPI programs and drive cross-team accountability. 
2. Communication and transparency: By creating safe spaces for incident reporting and education, we reduce fear and increase shared responsibility. 
3. Meaningful data collection: With standardized definitions and centralized tracking, providers can finally compare performance across locations and identify best practices. 
4. Workforce and patient engagement: We offer training, learning communities, and access to expert consultation that helps caregivers feel supported and prepared.

These principles are built directly into the tools, reporting, and support systems our PSO members receive every day. 

A Learning Network That Builds Community 

QAPIplus doesn’t stop at software. We know that culture change happens when teams learn together and feel empowered to lead safety improvements. That’s why we’ve created the QAPIplus Learning Network, a community of care providers committed to shared growth. 

Members gain access to: 

• Peer mentoring and collaborative learning circles 
• One-on-one coaching and leadership development 
• Monthly case studies and best practice sessions 
• Benchmarking dashboards and customized KPIs 
• Training resources tailored to home-based care environments

Through these experiences, we’re helping to close the gap between reporting and real-world impact. 

What Providers Can Do Now 

Improving patient safety in home health and hospice starts with small, consistent steps. Here are 5 steps your organization can take today: 

1. Develop policies and procedures that have standardized definitions and reporting protocols. 
2. Train caregivers on recognizing and documenting adverse events 
3. JOIN a PSO to engage in collaborative data analysis and benchmarking for improvement opportunities. 
4. Use real-time dashboards to monitor safety trends  
5. Embed safety goals into your QAPI and PIP initiatives

By taking these steps, and committing to continuous quality improvement, your team can reduce risk, enhance resident and family trust, and create a culture of care that’s both compassionate and accountable. 

From Risk to Resilience 

Home health and hospice are uniquely personal. Patients are often at their most vulnerable, and providers are asked to deliver medical, emotional, and logistical support all at once. It's a setting where safety isn't just about compliance; it's about peace of mind for families and pride in work for caregivers. 

We are proud to stand alongside providers in this mission. With the right tools, the right data, and the right support, we believe every organization has the power to raise the standard of safety in post-acute care. 

Let’s turn adverse events into insight. Talk to our team today and learn about joining the PSO and how it can benefit your organization. 

¹ Medicare.gov, 2021. 

² Massoti citaton- Masotti, P., McColl, M. A., & Green, M. (2010). Adverse events experienced by homecare patients: A scoping review of the literature. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 22(1), 25-31. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzq003