Healthcare Safety Unit
This page provides information about Healthcare Safety Unit .
Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology Section
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- Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology Data Requests
- Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology Health Practitioner Guidance and Training
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Epidemiology & Laboratory Capacity (ELC) 2026: Infectious, Respiratory, and Healthcare-associated Infections Conference Open submenu links Close submenu links
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- Contact Information
- Outdoor Health and Safety
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- Animal Friendly Program
- Echinococcosis
- Flea-borne Typhus
- Leishmaniasis
- Leptospirosis
- Psittacosis
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- Rabies Epi-Annual Reports
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- 2026 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2025 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2024 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2023 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2022 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2021 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2020 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2019 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2018 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2017 Monthly Rabies Reports
- 2016 Monthly Rabies Reports
- Rabies Facts
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- Tapeworm (Taeniasis / Cysticercosis)
- Trichinellosis (Trichinosis)
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- Dengue
- Chikungunya Virus
- Annual Summaries for Arbovirus Activity in Texas
- Yellow Fever
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- 2026 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2025 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2024 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2023 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2022 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2021 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2020 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2019 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2018 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2017 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2016 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2015 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2014 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2013 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2012 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2011 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
- 2010 Texas West Nile Virus Maps
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- Information for Veterinarians
- Texas Spay and Neuter Program (TXSNP)
- International Travel
- School Communicable Disease Chart
- Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response
Healthcare Safety Unit
The Healthcare Safety Unit (HSU) began in 2010, with the adoption of mandatory healthcare safety data reporting requirements for healthcare facilities in Texas. HSU expanded and evolved in response to the need for safe, high-quality healthcare and stronger public health programs across Texas.
Learn more about the role and impact of public health: What is Public Health?
Our Mission
The HSU helps protect Texans from infectious diseases and harmful events in healthcare by guiding healthcare facilities to prevent infections, respond to outbreaks, and improve patient outcomes. The HSU enhances healthcare safety across the state through education, training, and evidence-based practices.
Read the Texas Healthcare Safety Plan to learn more about the HSU’s vision, values, and the responsibilities of each HSU team.
Access the Texas Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN) Response Plan and Epi-Lab Work Plan to learn about Texas’ strategies for identifying and containing multidrug-resistant organisms and increasing the state’s capacity to respond to antimicrobial-resistant threats.
The HSU provides guidance and resources related to:
Annual Reports/Antibiograms
Explore healthcare facility annual reports on Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Preventable Adverse Events (PAEs), and antibiograms for Texas.
Learn more: Annual Reports - DSHS Health Safety Network Reports
Antimicrobial Stewardship
Learn about responsible antibiotic use and ways to prevent antimicrobial resistance.
Learn more: Antimicrobial Stewardship
Contaminated Sharp Injuries
Access the contaminated sharps injury reporting form and instructions.
Learn more: Reporting | Contaminated Sharps Injuries | Texas DSHS
Facility Report Search
Search for HAI and PAE reports for Texas hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.
Learn more: Index - DSHS Health Safety Network Reports
Healthcare-Associated Infections
Learn about HAIs, reporting requirements, and access HAI data.
Learn more: Healthcare-Associated Infections
Healthcare Safety Conference
The annual Healthcare Safety Conference shares new infection prevention and control training, the state’s healthcare safety initiatives, and information on emerging public health threats.
Learn more: Healthcare Safety Conference
Infection Control Training and Education
Access infection control resources and learn about upcoming infection control training opportunities.
Learn more: Healthcare Safety Training
Multidrug-resistant Organisms
Learn more about Multidrug-resistant Organisms.
Learn more: Multidrug-resistant Organisms
Preventable Adverse Events
Review resources on PAEs and information on reporting.
Learn more: Preventable Adverse Events
Texas Healthcare Facilities Search
Search for Texas healthcare facilities using an interactive map.
Learn more: Texas Healthcare Facilities
Upcoming Events and Projects
World Hepatitis Day - July 28, 2026
The Healthcare Safety Unit is observing World Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2026. This day highlights infection prevention practices that help protect both patients and healthcare personnel from bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can occur when safe injection practices are not followed consistently. Help prevent hepatitis and HAIs by preventing unsafe injection practices.
Learn more at www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-awareness/about/world-hepatitis-day.html
Contact Information
Phone
512-776-7676
Fax
512-776-7253
Mailing Address
Mail Code 4559 PO BOX 149347
1100 West 49th Street
Suite T509
Austin, TX 78714
HAIData@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) protocol, data management, validation, and quality improvement.
HSUTraining@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to infection prevention and control trainings, educational resources, and learning opportunities.
AntibioticStewardship@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team at DSHS.
HAIOutbreak@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to healthcare-associated infection (HAI) outbreaks and investigations.
HAITexas@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to state mandated Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) reporting for general hospitals, assistance with Texas Healthcare Safety Network (TxHSN) or assistance with certain National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) questions.
ICAR@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to infection prevention and control guidance, assistance with management of healthcare outbreaks, requests for infection control assessments (ICARs) in healthcare facilities, or to contact DSHS Healthcare-Associated Infections Epidemiologists.
MDROTexas@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to Multidrug Resistant Organisms (MDRO) that are reportable in Texas, alerts for non-reportable antimicrobial resistant organisms, or assistance with requests for the Antimicrobial Resistant Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network).
PAETexas@dshs.texas.gov
For questions related to state mandated Preventable Adverse Events (PAEs) reporting for general hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers or assistance with the Texas Healthcare Safety Network (TxHSN).
Sharps.Injury@dshs.texas.gov
For questions or guidance related to reporting needlestick or other sharp instrument injuries.