Institute for Healthcare Improvement and National Patient Safety Foundation to merge

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) are to merge, effective May 1.

IHI CEO Derek Feeley, who will lead the combined organization, said now is the perfect time for the two organizations to join forces to help reset and re-energize the patient safety agenda, building on a mutual history of helping health care systems gain the knowledge and skills to implement harm reduction across the entire continuum of care.

“Improving patient safety has always been central to IHI’s mission of improving health and health care quality,” said Feeley. “Yet safety now competes for attention and resources with other important issues such as value-driven care and population health. By joining forces, IHI and NPSF will be more effective in helping leaders and frontline clinicians meet all of today’s challenges while ensuring that patient safety remains a priority along the way.”

Feeley added: “The entire IHI staff is thrilled about the opportunity to work with the talented staff of NPSF as one, strengthened organization.”

Tejal Gandhi, NPSF CEO, said she and NPSF staff are equally excited about the merger. She sees it as a game-changing opportunity for the patient safety field.

“NPSF and IHI each have a history of raising awareness around patient safety issues and educating the health care workforce about best practices,” Gandhi said.

“Our programs are distinct but highly compatible, and we share experience, expertise, and a common goal of accelerating patient safety improvement. NPSF has provided critical thought leadership with the aim of establishing safety as a core value in health care, and IHI has demonstrated an ability to influence large-scale, global change. This merger promises to strengthen our ability to advance progress in patient safety in the coming years.”