Introduction

In the patient safety trends article published on April 27, 2026,1 reporting rates for 2025 were calculated based on patient days and surgical encounters from the first half of the year, as those data for Q3 and Q4 were not available as of the article publication date. This brief update provides the final rates for 2025 using all quarters of patient days and surgical encounters data, along with an updated number of reports with event dates in 2025 submitted as of July 29, 2026, and compares them to the 2025 rates presented in the previously published article1 (hereafter referred to as the “preliminary rates”).

Methods

This analysis was performed using data extracted from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS)[1] on July 29, 2026, and data obtained from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)[2] on July 14, 2026. Rates are calculated as the number of reports of events occurring each year per 1,000 patient days for hospitals and per 1,000 surgical encounters for ambulatory surgical facilities (ASFs). Since rates are based on the event date, and not the submission date, some rates in this brief update are slightly different than previously published rates. This is due to reports for events that occurred in prior years being submitted after their original data extraction dates.

Results

Figure 1 shows rates by year from 2015 through 2025. The final hospital rate for 2025 increased by 0.8 points compared to the preliminary rate. For ASFs, the final rate for 2025 increased by 0.2 points compared to the preliminary rate. The final 2025 ASF rate of 11.1 is lower than the 2024 rate of 11.4 and represents the first break in what was a continuous increase from 2021 through 2024.

Figure 1. PA-PSRS Event Reporting Rates for Hospitals and ASFs From 2015 Through 2025.
Figure 1.PA-PSRS Event Reporting Rates for Hospitals and ASFs From 2015 Through 2025.

Note: Since rates are based on the event occurrence date, and not the submission date, some rates may be slightly different than previously published. This is due to reports for events that occurred in prior periods being submitted after prior published results. Preliminary rates for 2025 are those published in the patient safety trend article published on April 27, 2026, and based on Q1 and Q2 patient days (hospitals) and surgical encounters (ASFs) data.

Note

This analysis was exempted from review by the Advarra Institutional Review Board.

Data used in this study cannot be made public due to their confidential nature, as outlined in the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act (Pennsylvania Act 13 of 2002).2

Disclosure

The author declares that they have no relevant or material financial interests.

About the Author

Shawn Kepner (shawkepner@pa.gov) is a data scientist at the Patient Safety Authority (PSA). He is responsible for providing actionable insights using data science techniques and works with staff to focus resources and research in areas that have the greatest benefit to patient safety. He also serves as the data editor for Patient Safety, PSA’s award-winning, peer-reviewed journal.

  1. PA-PSRS is a secure, web-based system through which Pennsylvania hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, abortion facilities, and birthing centers submit reports of patient safety–related incidents and serious events in accordance with mandatory reporting laws outlined in the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act (Act 13 of 2002). All reports submitted through PA-PSRS are confidential and no information about individual facilities or providers is made public.

  2. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is an independent state agency responsible for addressing the problem of escalating health costs, ensuring the quality of healthcare, and increasing access to healthcare for all citizens regardless of ability to pay. PHC4 has provided data to this entity in an effort to further PHC4’s mission of educating the public and containing healthcare costs in Pennsylvania. PHC4, its agents, and its staff have made no representation, guarantee, or warranty, express or implied, that the data—financial-, patient-, payor-, and physician-specific information—provided to this entity are error-free, or that the use of the data will avoid differences of opinion or interpretation. This analysis was not prepared by PHC4. This analysis was done by the Patient Safety Authority. PHC4, its agents, and its staff bear no responsibility or liability for the results of the analysis, which are solely the opinion of this entity.