Advancing Patient Safety Through Innovation and Collaboration

On November 10, 2025, leaders from across healthcare, technology, and the nonprofit sector gathered at the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) convening, “The Future of Patient Safety: A New Paradigm.” The event brought together clinicians, innovators, and community advocates around a shared belief: that preventable harm in healthcare can be eliminated through collaboration, innovation, and collective action.

During the event, the Elevance Health Foundation introduced its new Community Action Leadership (CAL) initiative, which includes a $5 million Patient Safety Prize, designed to inspire and accelerate community-driven solutions that make care safer and more equitable for every community.

Reimagining What’s Possible in Patient Safety
The Innovation Spotlight session featured Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, Chief Health Officer of Elevance Health, alongside Dr. Tejal Gandhi of Press Ganey, Shannon Davila of ECRI, and Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, infectious disease physician and community health advocate. Together, they explored how healthcare systems can move beyond acknowledging risk to actively preventing it.

Panelists emphasized three key ideas that emerged throughout the discussion:

• Innovation is most powerful when it begins with empathy. Understanding patients lived experiences is essential to designing safer systems.
• Partnership creates momentum. Collaboration across healthcare, technology, and community organizations is vital to accelerating change.
• Equity must anchor every effort. Patient safety and equitable care are inseparable goals.

These insights reflect the guiding principles of the Community Action Leadership initiative, which redefines philanthropy as a catalyst for community-driven problem-solving and cross-sector collaboration.

A Movement Toward Safer Care
The convening underscored a shared sense of purpose and optimism among participants: through creativity, collaboration, and accountability, together we can fundamentally change how patient safety is achieved and sustained.

The Community Action Leadership initiative’s $5 million Patient Safety Prize represents a tangible step toward that future. Opening for applications on December 9, 2025, the prize will support organizations advancing innovative, evidence-based solutions in three critical areas including eliminating medication errors, preventing patient falls, and improving health literacy.

More than a single grant opportunity, the CAL initiative signals the Foundation’s commitment to long-term collaboration and measurable impact. Its inaugural effort, the Patient Safety Prize, is supported by a partnership between the Elevance Health Foundation and the National Academy of Medicine. It invites innovators, community organizations, and healthcare leaders nationwide to contribute to a shared goal: making healthcare safer for all.

Learn more about the Community Action Leadership Initiative and the Patient Safety Prize. The Request for Proposals (RFP) will open on December 9, 2025, at www.patientsafetyprize.org Applicants must complete their registration by March 17, 2026, and submit their proposals by April 7, 2026, to be considered.