Collection of Information for AHRQ's Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative Database
Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection
No
Regular
Approved with change
02/19/2026
01/06/2026
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2029
36 Months From Approved
990
0
0
222
0
0
31,878
0
0
The SOPS Hospital Survey is designed to enable hospitals to assess provider and staff perspectives about patient safety issues, medical error, and error reporting. In 2004, Version 1.0 of the survey, which includes 42 items that measure 12 composites of patient safety culture, was released on the AHRQ website. AHRQ made the survey publicly available along with a Survey Userâs Guide and other toolkit materials. In 2019, an updated version of the survey, Version 2.0, was released on the AHRQ website (OMB 0935-0230, approved 01/21/2016). This version includes a total of 40 items: 32 items across 10 composite measures, 2 single-item measures, and 6 background questions.
The AHRQ SOPS Hospital Database consists of data from the AHRQ SOPS Hospital Survey 2.0 and may include reportable, non-required supplemental items . Hospitals in the U.S. can voluntarily submit data from the survey to AHRQ, through its contractor, Westat. The SOPS Hospital Database (OMB NO. 0935-0162, last approved on October 18, 2022) was developed by AHRQ in 2006 in response to requests from hospitals interested in tracking their own survey results. Organizations submitting data receive a feedback report, as well as a report of the aggregated, de-identified findings of the other hospitals submitting data. These reports are used to assist hospital staff in their efforts to improve patient safety culture in their organizations.
Rationale for the information collection. The SOPS Hospital Survey and the SOPS Hospital Database support AHRQâs goals of promoting improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare in hospitals. The survey, toolkit materials, and database results are all made publicly available on AHRQâs website. Technical assistance is provided by AHRQ through its contractor at no charge to hospitals, to facilitate the use of these materials for hospital patient safety and quality improvement.
The SOPS Hospital Database seeks to answer the following research questions:
1. What is the current state of patient safety culture in hospitals?
2. Has there been a change in patient safety culture scores since the previous database?
3. Are there differences in scores based on staff position and unit/work area?
The goals of the SOPS Hospital Database are:
1. Produce aggregated results from hospitals that voluntarily submit their data; and
2. Provide feedback reports to hospitals that voluntarily submit their data to help them identify their strengths and areas for improvement in patient safety culture.
US Code:
42 USC 299
Name of Law: Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999
The estimated number of POCs decreased from 340 in the previous information collection request (ICR) to 165 in this ICR. This updated estimate is based on the actual number of POCs from the 2024 SOPS Hospital data submission. As a result of fewer POCs submitting data, the total burden hours have decreased from 459 to 222.75.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Attachment D- Data File Emails