Hospitals statewide are joining together to increase healthcare quality and safety.

Alabama hospitals have joined with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation to address the issues.

Everyone knows someone who's had an unpleasant experience at a hospital.

Now local hospitals are getting together with other organizations to learn from each other.

Alabama hospitals will have meetings and share success stories and tips that work.

The goal is to raise awareness for quality and safety.

The program is already underway.

At a recent statewide forum, many hospitals shared success stories.

It's a way hospitals can learn from each other without duplicating existing efforts, and to make your trip to the doctor less risky.

Granger says this is not a contest among hospitals to see who can have the best quality, it's an attempt to raise the standard of care at all facilities.