Local Healthcare Organizations Unite for Patient Safety Awareness Week: “Team Up for Patient Safety”
Palmyra, ME – March 9, 2026 – In recognition of Patient Safety Awareness Week, HOMETOWN Health Center is launching a weeklong campaign themed “Team Up for Patient Safety” to highlight the shared responsibility of keeping patients and care teams safe across all healthcare settings.
Observed from March 8-14, Patient Safety Awareness Week, spearheaded by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is an annual opportunity for healthcare organizations, providers, patients, and families to reflect on progress, learn from one another, and recommit to actions that reduce preventable harm. This year’s campaign, developed by the Center for Patient Safety, emphasizes the foundation of safer care: collaboration within care teams, between organizations, and with patients and families.
“Patient safety is not a solo effort,” said Robin Winslow, CEO at HOMETOWN Health Center. “When we bring together clinicians, support staff, leadership, patients, and families, we create stronger systems and safer environments. Our ‘Team Up for Patient Safety’ campaign is about turning that belief into daily practice.”
Throughout the week, HOMETOWN Health Center will offer activities and resources designed to engage frontline staff, leaders, and community members, including:
- HOMETOWN Health Center will provide practical patient‑safety resources during Patient Safety Week, including safe‑storage pill containers and gun locks to support harm‑reduction efforts and promote safer homes.
- HOMETOWN Health Center will conduct team huddles and safety briefings that encourage staff to share concerns, identify risks, and celebrate near‑miss reporting and learning as part of our continued commitment to safety culture.
- HOMETOWN Health Center will offer patient and family engagement opportunities by distributing safety materials and encouraging individuals to speak up, ask questions, and partner actively in their care.
The “Team Up for Patient Safety” campaign encourages organizations to adapt activities to their own culture, patient populations, and care settings. Whether in hospitals, EMS agencies, long-term care, clinics, or other environments, all processes should keep the focus on collaboration, open communication, and learning.
“Every conversation, every checklist, every shared story about a close call or a success helps us move closer to the safest care possible,” Winslow added. “This week is about building habits and relationships that last far beyond these seven days.”
HOMETOWN Health Center invites healthcare professionals, community partners, patients, and families to participate in Patient Safety Awareness Week by:
- Joining local events or virtual sessions
- Sharing safety messages and stories within their organizations
- Encouraging colleagues and loved ones to speak up about safety concerns
- Asking, “What can we do together to make care safer?”
For more information about Patient Safety Awareness Week, the “Team Up for Patient Safety” campaign, and how you or your organization can get involved, please contact Rachel Larochelle at rachel.larochelle@hhcme.org or visit https://hometownhealthcenter.org/.
About HOMETOWN Health Center:
HOMETOWN is a Federally Qualified Health Center in central rural Maine, offering medical, dental and behavioral health services, a sliding-fee scale based on ability to pay, prescription assistance programs and integrated care focused on whole-patient wellness.