The SAFER Guide 2026 an Introduction and Overview

What Are the SAFER Guides?

The SAFER Guides are a set of self-assessment tools designed to help healthcare organizations evaluate and improve the safety and effectiveness of their EHR systems. They focus on identifying risks, preventing errors, and ensuring that technology supports—rather than hinders—clinical decision-making.

Key SAFER Guide Domains

The SAFER Guides cover nine critical areas of EHR safety:

1. High Priority Practices – Foundational safety measures every organization should implement.
2. Organizational Responsibilities – Governance, leadership, and accountability for EHR safety.
3. Contingency Planning – Preparedness for system downtime or disruptions.
4. System Configuration – Ensuring EHR settings align with clinical workflows.
5. System Interfaces – Safe data exchange between systems.
6. Patient Identification – Preventing mismatches and duplicate records.
7. Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) – Reducing errors in medication and test ordering.
8. Test Results Reporting and Follow-Up – Ensuring timely review and action on results.
9. Clinician Communication – Supporting clear and effective information sharing.

Practical Steps for Implementation

Getting started with SAFER doesn’t require a complete system overhaul. You can take incremental steps:

• Conduct a self-assessment using one SAFER domain at a time.
• Engage clinical and IT staff in identifying risks and solutions.
• Document findings and integrate them into your quality improvement plan.
• Align SAFER activities with MIPS Improvement Activities to maximize reporting benefits.

Each of the next 9 weeks we will have an article on each of the Safer Guides.  Next Week we will review High Priority Practices.