The purpose of the National Patient Safety Goals is to improve patient safety. The goals focus on problems in health care safety and how to solve them.

Identify patients correctly:

Use at least 2 ways to identify patients. For example, use the patients name and date of birth. This is done to make sure that each patient gets the correct medicine and treatment.

Use medicines safely:

Record and pass along correct information about the patient’s medicines. Find out what medicines the patient is taking. Compare those medicines to new medications given to the patient. Make sure the patient knows which medicines to take when they are home. Tell the patient it is important to bring their up-to-date list of medications every time they visit the doctor.

Prevent infection:

Use the hand cleaning guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization. Set goals for improving hand cleaning. Use the goals to improve hand cleaning.

Prevent patients from falling:

Find out which patients are most likely to fall. For example, is the patient taking any medications that might make them weak, dizzy or sleepy. Take actions to prevent falls for these patients.

Identify patient safety risks:

Find out if there are any risks for patients taking oxygen. For example, fires and open flames in the patients home.