Patient safety is our priority

The safety of our patients is top priority at Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH). The ‘why’ behind our journey to improve quality and safety at NAH is simple. High quality care and patient safety are the guideposts for living out our vision of Always better care. Every person, every time… together. 

NAH values the voice of our patients and reads each patient feedback survey to understand what we did well and where we can improve. This work takes the daily diligence of every person on every care team, from specialists and surgeons who serve the community in our hospitals to primary care providers and others who meet patients in our clinics. 

Read about Northern Arizona Healthcare’s successful commitment to continual improvement in our Annual Quality and Safety Reports:

Milestones and achievements: 

In 2023, NAH celebrated milestones that prove our focus on quality care is improving the health of the people of northern Arizona: 

• Flagstaff Medical Center and Verde Valley Medical Center each earned A grades for Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 on the national Leapfrog Safety Grades evaluation. This national achievement is awarded after a biannual assessment of numerous safety measures.  
  • There are more than 50 hospitals in Arizona, and NAH’s were two of only five hospitals in the state to earn this top score in Spring 2023. 

• NAH was ranked No. 1 in the state for preventing infections acquired at the hospital, such as those that occur with indwelling urinary catheters or central venous catheters. These devices are common to help deliver patient care, and our protocols have ensured we are the safest in the state in providing these procedures. 

We couldn’t celebrate these successes without every member of Northern Arizona Healthcare working together to do their best for every patient, every time. 

Culture of safety:  

Northern Arizona Healthcare promotes a safety culture among all staff by encouraging active reporting of any concerns related to staff or patient safety. 

NAH prides itself on promoting a just culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility.  A Just Culture emphasizes the importance of proactively identifying unsafe conditions, reporting errors, openly discussing mistakes and implementing systemic improvements that standardize care delivery.  

This culture is critical to making NAH one of the safest health care systems in the state of Arizona. 

Patient safety is a constant focus:  

Our journey to increased safety and higher care quality is continuous and would not be possible without dedication, trust, communication and engagement from all departments and disciplines. Together, we live our mission, vision and values to provide a highly reliable care experience for the patients and communities we serve. 

NAH staff undergo training throughout the year, specialized to their role, to keep patient safety measures top of mind at all times. 

Our strong patient safety record is a point of pride for NAH, and it’s one we know we must earn every day. Our accreditation from The Joint Commission is based on performance standards for safe, high-quality, patient-centered care. 

NAH collects quality data from all of our care facilities to ensure the safest care is provided at the highest quality. Quality data is publicly reported and can be found at Hospital Compare.

Learn more about patient rights and policies.