Every day, Connecticut hospital teams ask themselves: what did we do well, and how can we do better? These reflections translate into tangible actions that continuously improve healthcare quality and patient safety.
The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), during National Hospital Week, celebrates the devoted and talented staff at the bedside and beyond who collectively elevate the excellent care for which our hospitals — and our state — are known.
As anchor institutions for health, hospitals play an instrumental role in Connecticut’s standing as one of the best states in the country for healthcare and overall population health. Connecticut is ranked by independent organizations as follows: second most accessible healthcare (Forbes), third best healthcare overall (U.S. News), and fourth healthiest state (America’s Health Rankings).
Last week, Connecticut hospitals earned the profound recognition of being the safest in the country, ranking number one in the Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grade State Rankings.
These national distinctions have positioned Connecticut as a destination for high-quality, compassionate care, drawing patients and professionals alike. They affirm our pledge to put patients first, always. And they are a testament to years of sustained, statewide investment in quality improvement, collaboration, workforce training, and innovation.
Fifteen years ago, Connecticut hospitals became the first in the nation to coalesce around a unified, statewide mission to center patient and workforce safety in all we do. This high reliability organization (HRO) initiative was set in motion in 2011, and in the fall of 2023, CHA launched HRO Forward, a phase focused on deepening the connection between communities and hospitals and intentionally integrating patient perspectives into clinical practice.
Through the HRO initiative, Connecticut hospitals have adopted proactive methods to eliminate preventable patient harm and protect the healthcare workforce. They’ve established systems to anticipate risks, investigate problems, adjust practices, and measure progress. Importantly, hospital leaders and staff, clinical and nonclinical, embrace patient safety as everyone’s responsibility, regardless of role.
Today, high reliability principles are woven into the fabric of hospitals’ care delivery. Department leaders begin meetings with patient safety stories to reinforce lessons learned. Frontline staff conduct safety checks to intercept risks in real time. Environmental services crews follow stringent protocols to prevent the spread of infection. Security guards practice de-escalation techniques to protect patients and staff in high-stress situations. Nutrition services customize meals to meet individual dietary needs. Inventory clerks strategically manage supplies to keep shelves stocked. At discharge, social workers connect patients and caregivers with community-based resources to create smooth transitions. Throughout the hospital, staff of all disciplines work hand-in-hand to ensure quality and patient safety.
To maximize safety, hospital teams are using clinical tools like standardized order sets (clinical pathways) and maternal health patient safety bundles, as well as communication tools like read-backs and two patient identifiers (name and birthdate before every patient touch). Hospitals are also constantly leveraging data to adapt and respond to the dynamic demands and complexities of today’s healthcare landscape. They transform statistics into cutting-edge innovations, including programs that reduce post-operative complications and increase survival after a major cardiac event.
Just as essential is patient and family feedback. They are partners throughout care planning, and their voices are incorporated into decision-making. Hospital teams encourage them to contribute to care decisions, complete experience surveys, and participate in advisory councils.
To advance HRO Forward, hospitals are actively reinforcing psychological safety, ensuring hospital staff feel empowered to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and raise concerns. Ultimately, promoting a learning mindset in clinical settings and fostering trust among teams is proven to optimize safety and minimize mistakes.
At the same time, Connecticut hospitals are strengthening infection prevention stewardship and holding one another accountable for ongoing improvement — a collaboration that has yielded meaningful results. Recently released national data show Connecticut has achieved pronounced declines in C. diff, CLABSI, CAUTI, and MRSA infection rates, outperforming regional peers in several key measures.
Connecticut healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to improving the lives of others. Hospitals remain steadfast in their core mission of serving our communities. Patients rightly expect excellence everywhere they receive care. Together, we are raising the bar higher — committed to doing even better for this generation and the next.
Together, we are propelling our state into a safer, healthier, more equitable future for all.
Jennifer Jackson is Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Hospital Association.