As flu, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 collide this winter, questions linger about the potential for people to contract multiple infections at once.

The Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control editorial team chose the following five patient safety issues for healthcare leaders to prioritize in 2023, presented below in no particular order, based on news, study findings and trends reported in the past year.

A new study led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that estimates 370,000 patients may suffer serious harm as a result of misdiagnosis in U.S. emergency departments every year is being met with strong criticism from medical societies representing emergency physicians, The New York Times reported Dec. 15. 

A national patient safety effort that standardizes best practices across all U.S. hospitals is required to achieve and sustain meaningful improvements in patient care, five patient safety experts said in a NEJM Catalyst article published Dec. 12.  

A recent study found two new methods of delivering defibrillation improved survivability and neurologic outcomes.

A recent study found that delaying surgery after a COVID-19 infection reduced the risk of major postoperative heart events.

A corrections officer fatally shot an inmate at Ascension Seton Hays Hospital on Dec. 12 after he allegedly tried to escape from the emergency room, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The Joint Commission will hold a safety briefing with healthcare organizations at the start of every accreditation survey starting in 2023, the organization said Dec. 13.

HHS has published a request for information on how it can best support the advancement of patient and healthcare worker safety as part of a new national alliance. 

As hospitals continue to face pandemic-related challenges, it's no surprise that many of The Leapfrog Group's straight-"A" hospitals are doubling down on efforts to reduce and prevent healthcare-associated infections.

From long COVID-19 to vaccine efficacy to maternal outcomes, Becker's covered dozens of COVID-19-focused studies since the start of the year.

A study involving more than 12,000 COVID-19 patients in Hong Kong found the incidence of viral rebound was very low. 

The I-PASS Handoff Program, created to improve handoff miscommunications when providers change shifts, resulted in a 47 percent reduction in adverse events, a new study found.

UC Davis Health has adopted low-pressure surgery as a standard for all laparoscopic procedures performed at the Sacramento, Calif.-based health system. 

Pelvic Contusion is basically a bruise in the pelvic region. A contusion essentially is a medical term for a bruise.

Nashville, Tenn.-based TriStar Centennial Medical Center is reviewing a Nov. 24 incident in which a fire erupted as staff members were using a defibrillator on a patient who later died, ABC affiliate WKRN reported Nov. 28.

Researchers found nearly 1 in 7 older adults die within a year of undergoing major surgery, shedding light on the risk older adults face when having invasive procedures, Kaiser Health News reported Nov. 28.

The Joint Commission has updated its timeline for how often it will evaluate licensed practitioners' ability to provide care from two years to three.

HHS is partnering with some of the country's largest health systems on a national alliance to advance patient safety that will launch next year. 

There is an evidence-based approach to reducing death, length of hospital stay, cost of care and additional injuries during intensive care unit treatment, but most hospitals are not using it, according to one expert.