This special series of articles highlights the progress and current state of patient safety since the landmark IOM report. The series was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as a method to critically evaluate their efforts, and those of their grantees, in funding more than 230 patient safety projects. The compilation showcases AHRQ's efforts to catalyze innovation and advance knowledge in patient safety, reflected in part by the articles in this series. An introductory editorial highlights themes that should drive the next 10 years of patient safety progress, which include changing safety culture, increasing transparency in providing care and examining risk, embracing the power of multidisciplinary teams, realizing the benefits of information technology, and approaching every issue through the patient's eyes.