IHI Unveils New Human Factors Certification and Safer Together Program at Patient Safety Congress
The 2025 IHI Patient Safety Congress officially launched today, gathering healthcare professionals, patient safety advocates, and learners from across the globe to advance safer and more equitable care. The event kicked off with the announcement of two groundbreaking initiatives: the first-ever Certified Professional in Human Factors in Health Care certification and the IHI Safer Together Recognition Program.
The 2025 IHI Patient Safety Congress, taking place during Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW), is a pivotal event that brings together healthcare professionals, consumers, and communities from around the world to raise awareness and actively engage in improving patient safety. This annual week aims to mobilize communities and healthcare systems to collaborate on co-producing safe care, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.
The Congress is a major platform for exploring various patient safety challenges and solutions, with mainstage sessions covering cutting-edge topics like artificial intelligence (AI), embedding safety into everyday healthcare work, meaningful patient engagement, and leveraging clinical effectiveness. Deep dive sessions focus on the National Action Plan to Advance Patient Safety, a strategic initiative that emphasizes a total systems approach to safety across the continuum of care and aims to reduce harm in healthcare settings.
One of the most significant announcements at this year’s Congress is the introduction of two groundbreaking initiatives: the Certified Professional in Human Factors in Health Care (CPHFH) certification and the IHI Safer Together Recognition Program. Both initiatives aim to elevate healthcare safety, one by strengthening individual expertise and the other by recognizing hospitals that prioritize safety for both patients and the healthcare workforce.
Certified Professional in Human Factors in Health Care (CPHFH)
In her opening remarks, Melissa Panagides-Busch, Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), announced the launch of the CPHFH program. This is a significant expansion of IHI’s certification offerings, marking a crucial step toward improving safety across healthcare systems by focusing on human factors. “Human factors are essential in optimizing the interactions between technology, systems, environments, and people,” Panagides-Busch explained. “This new certification provides an opportunity for individuals to demonstrate expertise in this area, while enabling organizations to validate the competencies of their workforce.”
Human factors are a vital discipline in healthcare safety, focusing on reducing risks and improving system efficiency by understanding how people interact with technology and their environment. By earning the CPHFH credential, healthcare professionals will demonstrate proficiency in three essential areas: assessing and analyzing human-system interactions to identify potential risks, designing and implementing systems that enhance safety, and improving and monitoring systems to maintain ongoing safety and effectiveness.
The certification is awarded after participants pass a comprehensive exam, and the first review course to prepare candidates for the exam was held onsite at the IHI Patient Safety Congress. A live review webinar will also be held on March 18-19, 2025. For more information on the CPHFH program, including details about the review course and exam, visit IHI’s official website.
IHI Safer Together Recognition Program
In addition to the CPHFH certification, IHI also introduced the Safer Together Recognition Program, which honors hospitals that demonstrate a robust commitment to patient and workforce safety. “This program will recognize hospitals that go above and beyond in their safety efforts,” said Panagides-Busch. “It serves as a beacon for others in the healthcare world, showcasing those organizations that prioritize the safety of both their patients and staff.”
The Safer Together Recognition Program evaluates hospitals using a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments, including the use of the Safer Together Self-Assessment Tool. This tool is aligned with the National Action Plan and the new CMS Patient Safety Structure Measure (PSSM). Hospitals must meet or exceed specific safety thresholds in these assessments to be eligible for recognition. The evaluation is conducted by a panel of nationally recognized experts in patient and workforce safety.
Hospitals that receive this recognition will demonstrate their leadership commitment to safety and will show that they have the structures and processes in place to deliver safe, high-quality care. The recognition is valid for two years and is awarded in two tiers. By achieving this acknowledgment, hospitals signal to patients, healthcare workers, and the broader community that they are dedicated to maintaining the highest safety standards.
The IHI’s Role in Advancing Safety
For more than 30 years, IHI has been at the forefront of health care improvement, using evidence-based methods to address healthcare challenges and promote quality care. The organization provides healthcare professionals with the tools and resources necessary to improve patient safety and care. IHI also works to convene experts, facilitating knowledge sharing and peer learning to enhance health systems and outcomes globally.
By introducing the CPHFH certification and Safer Together Recognition Program, IHI is not only strengthening individual and organizational expertise in patient safety but is also setting a new standard for healthcare systems worldwide. These initiatives represent a critical step in the ongoing mission to improve safety across healthcare systems, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes and more equitable care for all patients.
The 2025 IHI Patient Safety Congress underscores the importance of collaboration, innovation, and safety in healthcare. By embracing these new initiatives, IHI continues to lead the charge in making healthcare systems safer and more effective for patients and healthcare providers alike.
