(149 Kb) May 2026

For more specific information on how to administer this survey or to access the documents, you can visit the Official AHRQ SOPS Hospital Survey page .

Using a standardized, validated tool like the SOPS Hospital Survey allows for . By focusing on the "Non-punitive Response to Error" or "Communication Openness" scores, hospital leadership can move away from a "blame culture" and toward a "learning culture," which is proven to reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes. (149 KB)

The feeling that staff are not blamed when an event is reported. For more specific information on how to administer

AHRQ provides a comprehensive to accompany the survey. Key aspects of implementation include: The feeling that staff are not blamed when

How well staff support each other and work as a team.

The survey provides a standardized way for hospitals to measure the "culture of safety"—essentially the shared values and behaviors that determine how patient safety is prioritized in daily operations.