Patients for Patient Safety US Engages Older Adults Nationwide

Engaging Older Adults Nationwide to Advance how Patient Safety, Diagnostic Accuracy, and Biases in Care are measured.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) announced potential new patient-reported experience (PREM) and outcome (PROM) survey questions prioritized by older adults that focus on patient safety, diagnostic accuracy, and equity concerns most important to them. The new content was harvested through Project PIVOT (Patients Involved in deVeloping Outcomes Together), a PFPS US initiative that is engaging patients and other stakeholders from across the country as co-developers to address data gaps on these important issues. Details of the patient-reported survey questions will be featured during a PFPS US webinar, along with recent data from AARP (https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/coverage-access/adult-health-care-experiences/) that address the frequency and impact when older adults’ concerns are dismissed. (see below).

Working closely with Patient Leader, Rosie Bartel, PFPS US recruited a cohort of older adults to participate in a Project PIVOT Older Adult Working Group. Bartel shares, “We might be older, but we aren’t invisible. Our health matters!” Participants included residents from senior retirement centers; members of the PATIENTS research community at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy; older adults from The Beryl Institute; and PFPS US Champions nationwide.

“As the population ages, it is essential that the voices of older adults directly shape how we define and measure safe, high-quality care,” said Sue Sheridan, President and CEO of PFPS US. “Project PIVOT demonstrates the power of partnering with patients as co-designers to identify what truly matters to them and their families.” Project PIVOT is supported by funding from AARP, the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, as well as the Eugene Washington Engagement Award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
To support meaningful engagement of older adults, PFPS US organized and conducted 9 separate engagement events, including in-person meetings, virtual and in-person focus groups, surveys, and structured storytelling sessions.

Through these sessions, older adults identified and prioritized patient-reported experience and outcome survey questions that capture physical, emotional, and financial harm from care or treatment; challenges during discharge and care transitions; inclusion of family members and care partners; diagnostic accuracy; and dignity and respect, including experiences of having their concerns dismissed because of age.

“These patient-prioritized measures have the potential to inform the future integration of patient-centered safety questions into national surveys, organizational assessments, and research tools, ensuring that older adults’ lived experiences drive improvements in care delivery”, said Lynn Mertz, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor at AARP. The survey questions identified by older adults, along with compelling data from AARP, will be featured during a PFPS US webinar on March 9th at 1:00 PM ET during Patient Safety Awareness Week. Please visit our website for details.

About Patients for Patient Safety US
Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) is a patient-led organization dedicated to advancing patient safety, improving diagnostic accuracy and timeliness, eliminating biases in care, and eliminating harm through advocacy, research, policy, and partnership.

Armando Nahum
PFPS US
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