Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version 2.0 (CFER-H V2.0) constitutes a major release of the AHRQ Common Formats and reflects these key changes:
Core and supplemental data elements designate two types of data sets. All data elements contained in the core data sets are required for event reporting at the local level by providers to PSOs and the PSOPPC for national aggregation and analysis. Those data elements contained in the supplemental data sets may be collected at the local level for additional analysis, and may be reported to PSOs, but will not be accepted by the PSOPPC for national aggregation and analysis at this time.
Specific changes in CFER-H V2.0 compared with Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version 1.2 (CFER-H V1.2) are:
Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version 2.0a (CFER-H V2.0a) was a minor technical update which:
See the Technical Release Notes below for a complete review of changes.
Supporting Documents
A users' guide and event descriptions for the Generic and event-specific categories are available for this version of Common Formats.
Users Guide
The Users' Guide is a comprehensive overview of the Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version (CFER-H V) development and implementation, and can be used to understand the AHRQ Common Formats framework.
CFER-H V2.0aR Users Guide Posted on: 03/31/2025, 414 KB
Event Descriptions - National Collection (Core)
The following event descriptions contain core data elements required for event reporting at the local level, by providers, to PSOs and the PSOPPC for national aggregation and analysis.
Generic Event Description
The Generic Module sets out the common information to be collected for all patient safety concerns, regardless of the event type or unsafe condition. This category maps out the type of patient safety concern, the circumstances of the event or unsafe condition, patient information (if applicable), and reporter information.
CFER-H V2.0aR Generic Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 96 KB
Event-Specific Descriptions
Anesthesia
An Anesthesia event is associated with the administration of anesthesia or sedation. Patient safety events for the Anesthesia category include incidents and near misses. They also pertain to both inpatient and outpatient procedures occurring in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Anesthesia Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 86 KB
Blood or Blood Product
A Blood or Blood Product event or unsafe condition involves the processing and/or administration of blood or a blood product. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near-misses, and unsafe conditions that occur in a hospital and do not require that a patient outcome be identified.
CFER-H V2.0aR Blood Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 79 KB
Device or Medical/Surgical Supply
A Device or Medical/Surgical Supply event or unsafe condition involves a defect, failure, or incorrect use of a device. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions, and do not require that a patient outcome be identified.
CFER-H V2.0aR Device Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 82 KB
Fall
A Fall event is a sudden, unintended, descent of a patient's body to the ground or other object (e.g., onto a bed, chair, or bedside mat) that can be assisted or unassisted. Patient safety concerns for the Fall category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Fall Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 78 KB
Medication or Other Substance
A Medication or Other Substance event involves the processing and/or administration of medications, biological products, nutritional substances, medical gases, contrast media, or radiopharmaceuticals. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions and do not require a patient outcome be identified. This category pertains to both inpatient and outpatient pharmacies located within the hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Medication Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 92 KB
Perinatal
A Perinatal event involves an adverse outcome occurring to the mother, fetus(es), or neonate(s) associated with either the birthing process (labor, birth, or postpartum) or an intrauterine procedure. Perinatal events include those that occur from the 20th week of gestation through 4 weeks (28 days) postpartum (up to 42 days for maternal events). Patient safety concerns for this category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Perinatal Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 90 KB
Pressure Injury
A Pressure Injury event involves a pressure injury of Stage 2 or higher (i.e., Stage 2, 3, 4, Unstageable, or deep tissue pressure injury; mucosal membrane pressure injury; or secondary morbidity attributed to the presence of a pressure injury) that develops in the hospital (i.e., was not present on admission) or worsens from a Stage 1 or Stage 2 pressure injury that was present on admission to the hospital. Patient safety concerns for this category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Pressure Injury Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 83 KB
Surgery
A Surgical event is associated with an operating room or other invasive procedure (e.g., colonoscopy, bone marrow biopsy). Patient safety concerns for this event include incidents and near misses. They also pertain to both inpatient and outpatient procedures occurring in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Surgery Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 89 KB
Venous Thromboembolism
A Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) event comprises an objectively confirmed symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). Patient safety concerns for the VTE category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR VTE Event Description Core Posted on: 03/31/2025, 85 KB
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications include the Implementation Guide, Resources Workbook, Data Dictionary, Data Submission Error Messages, Flow Charts, and CDA XML Samples that provide direction on how to implement and submit CFER-H V2.0 data.
Data Submission Specifications (Implementation Guide, Resources Workbook, Data Dictionary and Error Messages)
Implementation Guide
The Implementation Guide provides specifications for the required CDA XML file format to transmit Common Formats Patient Safety Report data.
CFER-H V2.0aR Implementation Guide Posted on: 03/31/2025, 1,097 KB
Resources Workbook
The Resources Workbook provides a complete mapping of OIDs, templates, data elements, answer values, and validation rules used in the creation of the CDA XML file.
CFER-H V2.0aR Resources Workbook Posted on: 03/31/2025, 75 KB
Data Dictionary
The Data Dictionary provides information on each data element (e.g., name, definition, format, values, etc.).
CFER-H V2.0aR Data Dictionary Posted on: 03/31/2025, 1,414 KB
Data Submission Error Messages
The Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version 2.0 (CFER-H V2.0) Data Submission Error Message document contains all possible error messages for CFER-H V2.0 patient safety data submissions. This document provides the validation rules for each error message to assist in the revision of the CDA XML file.
CFER-H V2.0aR Data Submission Error Messages Posted on: 03/31/2025, 30 KB
Flow Charts
The following flow charts illustrate the valid paths for complete patient safety reports for all patient safety concerns. Each flow chart provides the required data elements and associated answer values.
Generic Flow Charts
The following section contains the Common Formats Flow Charts for incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions.
CFER-H V2.0aR Incident Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 655 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Near Miss Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 157 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Unsafe Condition Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 154 KB
Event Flow Charts
The following section contains the Common Formats Flow Charts for Event-Specific Modules.
CFER-H V2.0aR Anesthesia Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 235 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Blood Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 234 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Device Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 278 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Fall Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 144 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Medication Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 383 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Perinatal Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 288 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Pressure Injury Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 158 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Surgery Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 148 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR VTE Flow Chart Posted on: 03/31/2025, 148 KB
CDA XML File Samples
The CDA XML files sample documents provide samples and associated CDA XML file output for all patient safety concerns. The file samples contain all recommended data elements for patient safety data reports and conform to Common Formats for Event Reporting - Hospital Version 2.0 (CFER-H V2.0).
CFER-H V2.0aR Anesthesia CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 283 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Blood CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 253 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Device Incident CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 299 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Device Unsafe Condition CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 245 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Fall CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 273 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Perinatal CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 275 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Pressure Injury CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 277 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR Surgery CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 259 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR VTE CDA XML File Sample Posted on: 03/31/2025, 244 KB
CFER-H V2.0aR CDA XML File Samples Posted on: 03/31/2025, 27 KB
Supplemental Information
Event Descriptions - Local Collection (Supplemental)
The following event descriptions include the supplemental data elements that may be collected at the local level for additional analysis, and may be reported to PSOs but will NOT be accepted by the PSOPPC for national aggregation and analysis.
Generic Event Description
The Generic Module sets out the common information to be collected for all patient safety concerns, regardless of the event type or unsafe condition. This category maps out the type of patient safety concern, the circumstances of the event or unsafe condition, patient information (if applicable), and reporter information.
CFER-H V2.0aR Generic Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 138 KB
Event-Specific Descriptions
Anesthesia
An Anesthesia event is associated with the administration of anesthesia or sedation. Patient safety events for the Anesthesia category include incidents and near misses. They also pertain to both inpatient and outpatient procedures occurring in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Anesthesia Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 123 KB
Blood or Blood Product
A Blood or Blood Product event or unsafe condition involves the processing and/or administration of blood or a blood product. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near-misses, and unsafe conditions that occur in a hospital and do not require that a patient outcome be identified.
CFER-H V2.0aR Blood or Blood Product Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 124 KB
Device or Medical/Surgical Supply
A Device or Medical/Surgical Supply event or unsafe condition involves a defect, failure, or incorrect use of a device. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions, and do not require that a patient outcome be identified.
CFER-H V2.0aR Device Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 124 KB
Fall
A Fall event is a sudden, unintended, descent of a patient's body to the ground or other object (e.g., onto a bed, chair, or bedside mat) that can be assisted or unassisted. Patient safety concerns for the Fall category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Fall Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 127 KB
Medication or Other Substance
A Medication or Other Substance event involves the processing and/or administration of medications, biological products, nutritional substances, medical gases, contrast media, or radiopharmaceuticals. Patient safety concerns for this category include incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions and do not require a patient outcome be identified. This category pertains to both inpatient and outpatient pharmacies, located within the hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Medication or Other Substance Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 94 KB
Perinatal
A Perinatal event involves an adverse outcome occurring to the mother, fetus(es), or neonate(s) associated with either the birthing process (labor, birth, or postpartum) or an intrauterine procedure. Perinatal events include those that occur from the 20th week of gestation through 4 weeks (28 days) postpartum (up to 42 days for maternal events). Patient safety concerns for this category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Perinatal Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 132 KB
Pressure Injury
A Pressure Injury event involves a pressure injury of Stage 2 or higher(i.e., Stage 2, 3, 4, Unstageable, or deep tissue pressure injury; mucosal membrane pressure injury; or secondary morbidity attributed to the presence of a pressure injury) that develops in the hospital (i.e., was not present on admission) or worsens from a Stage 1 or Stage 2 pressure injury that was present on admission to the hospital. Patient safety concerns for this category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Pressure Injury Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 128 KB
Surgery
A Surgical event is associated with an operating room or other invasive procedure (e.g., colonoscopy, bone marrow biopsy). Patient safety concerns for this event include incidents and near misses. They also pertain to both inpatient and outpatient procedures occurring in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR Surgery Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 123 KB
Venous Thromboembolism
A Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) event comprises an objectively confirmed symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). Patient safety concerns for the VTE category include only incidents that occur in a hospital.
CFER-H V2.0aR VTE Event Description Supplemental Posted on: 03/31/2025, 126 KB
