What Will Define Patient Safety in 2026? A Look Ahead to ECRI’s Top 10 List

Every year, ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report helps healthcare leaders identify and prepare for the most pressing safety challenges impacting care delivery. Backed by data, expert insight, and decades of experience, the report has become one of the industry’s most trusted resources for guiding safety and risk management strategies.

As the 2026 release approaches, one thing is clear: patient safety continues to evolve in complexity and urgency. Healthcare organizations today face a rapidly changing landscape—one shaped by new technologies, workforce pressures, and the ongoing need for equitable, high-quality care across every setting.

Evolving Challenges and Emerging Risks
The upcoming Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2026 report reflects a moment of transformation in healthcare. While some long-standing issues persist, others emerge from shifts in how care is delivered and supported.

Among the trends shaping this year’s safety priorities are:

• Technology and clinical decision support. Artificial intelligence and digital tools are becoming integral to patient care. However, with innovation comes risk—overreliance on automation, data accuracy concerns, and the need for robust oversight to ensure these tools enhance rather than hinder clinical judgment.
• Workforce well-being and staffing shortages. Ongoing labor challenges continue to place strain on safety and quality. From nursing shortages to burnout among clinicians, staffing instability remains one of the most influential factors affecting patient outcomes.
• Equity and access to care. Persistent disparities in access—especially across rural or medically underserved communities—remain a core barrier to achieving consistent, safe, and effective care. Closing these gaps is central to advancing both patient safety and trust.
• System resilience and preparedness. Health systems continue to navigate an environment of uncertainty—balancing financial pressures, regulatory change, and public health risks. Building resilience through a strong culture of safety and data-driven risk management will be key to success in 2026 and beyond.

Why ECRI’s Top 10 Matters
For more than a decade, ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report has informed safety initiatives in hospitals, health systems, and long-term care facilities worldwide. The list is developed through comprehensive analysis of real-world events, expert reviews, and trends from ECRI’s extensive databases—including incident reports, safety alerts, and evidence-based evaluations.

Each year, the report not only highlights the biggest risks—it also provides practical strategies and actionable guidance to help healthcare organizations address them. By identifying where harm is most likely to occur, the Top 10 helps leaders focus their improvement efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact.

A Glimpse Ahead
While the 2026 list is still under wraps, technology integration, workforce stability, and care equity will take center stage. The interplay between innovation, staffing, and safety continues to shape the future of healthcare—and the need for evidence-based, system-wide approaches has never been greater.

ECRI’s upcoming report will explore these themes in depth, offering actionable recommendations for how organizations can anticipate risks, strengthen processes, and ensure safer care for every patient, in every setting.

Stay Tuned for the Full Report
ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2026 report will be released next week.

Sign up to receive the report as soon as it’s available and prepare your organization for the challenges and opportunities ahead.