Reporting a Concern, Event, or Incident

UTMB provides multiple ways to report concerns, incidents, and opportunities for improvement. This page will help you determine whether the Safety Hub for Incident & Event Logging Data (SHIELD) portal, the Workplace Violence and Concerning Behavior Reporting portal, or Employee Injury and Bloodborne Pathogen Reporting is the appropriate reporting resource for your situation.

Whether you're reporting a patient safety event, workplace concern, complaint, near miss, security-related issue, work-related injury, illness, or bloodborne pathogen exposure, your report helps UTMB learn, improve, and create a safer environment for patients, employees, learners, and visitors.

Select the reporting option that best matches your situation. If you're unsure, review the comparison guide below or submit your report in the system that most closely aligns with the concern.

Immediate Threat or Emergency?

If there is an immediate threat to safety or a situation requiring urgent assistance, contact UTMB Police Department at ext. 2-1111, 409-772-1111 or call 911 before submitting a report.

Reporting Systems

SHIELD (Safety Hub for Incident & Event Logging Data) Portal

SHIELD is UTMB's high reliability platform for reporting and learning from safety events, quality concerns, service feedback, grievances, near misses, and opportunities for improvement. SHIELD replaced RLDatix in August 2026.

Report events that caused, or had the potential to cause, harm to a patient, visitor, employee, or the organization. This includes actual events, unsafe conditions, near misses, and concerns related to care quality or operational processes.

Access SHIELD

Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal

The Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal is UTMB's centralized reporting platform for workplace violence, threatening or concerning behavior, harassment, intimidation, bullying, and other employee and student concerns about inappropriate behavior.

Report any behavior that threatens the security or well-being of employees, students, patients, visitors, contractors, or the workplace environment. Early reporting supports timely intervention, risk assessment, and coordinated response.

Access the Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal

Employee Injury and Bloodborne Pathogen Reporting

Employee Health partners with employees who experience a work-related injury or illness or who are exposed to a bloodborne pathogen through a needlestick, sharps injury, or splash exposure.

Report work-related injuries, illnesses, and exposures by completing the appropriate Reporting a Work-Related Injury or Illness or Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure form to ensure timely evaluation, treatment, and follow-up care.

Access the Health and Wellness page

Not Sure Which System to Use?

Reporting options for SHIELD Portal and Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal.
If You Need to Report...SHIELD PortalWorkplace Violence &
Concerning Behavior
Reporting Portal
Patient safety events (falls, medication errors, etc.)Yes 
Quality concernsYes 
Treatment delayYes 
Near miss involving patient careYes 
Infection prevention concernsYes 
Patient complaint or grievanceYes 
Process and workflow issuesYes 
Equipment or device concernsYes 
Self-harmYes 
Sexual assaultYes 
Suicidal or homicidal ideationYes 
Workplace violence or related injuries Yes
Domestic violence Yes
Threats, intimidation, hostility, or bullying of employees or students Yes
Concerning behaviors or warning signs Yes
Harassment (verbal or sexual) Yes
Security incident involving aggressive behavior or assault Yes
Aggressive, disruptive, or escalating behavior Yes
Physical assault or violence Yes
Stalking Yes
Suspicious activity or individual(s) Yes
Threats, intimidation, hostility, or bullying Yes
Verbal abuse or threatening language Yes
Workplace violence incidents Yes
Workplace violence-related employee injuries Yes

If you are unsure whether to report an event in SHIELD or the Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal, submit the report in the system that best matches the situation. Reports can be routed to the appropriate team when needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

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  • How do I know which reporting system to use?

    Use SHIELD for:

    • Patient safety events
    • Quality concerns
    • Service feedback
    • Patient complaints and grievances
    • Near misses
    • Process issues
    • Other concerns related to patient care or organizational improvement

    Use the Workplace Violence & Concerning Behavior Reporting Portal for:

    • Aggressive, disruptive, or escalating behavior
    • Concerning behaviors or warning signs
    • Domestic violence
    • Harassment (verbal or sexual)
    • Physical assault or violence
    • Security incidents involving aggressive or threatening individuals
    • Self-harm
    • Sexual assault
    • Stalking
    • Suicidal or homicidal ideation
    • Suspicious activity or individual(s)
    • Threats
    • Intimidation
    • Hostility
    • Bullying
    • Verbal abuse or threatening language
    • Workplace violence incidents
    • Workplace violence-related employee injuries

    Use Employee Injury and Bloodborne Pathogen Reporting for:

    • Work-related injuries or illnesses
    • Needlestick and sharps injuries
    • Bloodborne pathogen exposures
    • Splash exposures
    • Other incidents requiring employee health evaluation, treatment, or follow-up care
  • What if I'm not sure which portal to use?

    Submit your report in the system that best matches the situation. If additional review or follow-up is needed, the appropriate teams will work together to ensure the concern reaches the right area.

  • Can a situation belong in more than one system?

    Some situations may involve both patient safety and employee safety concerns. Report the event in the system that best aligns with the primary concern. Appropriate teams will coordinate follow-up and routing as needed.

  • When Should I Report?

    Report concerns as soon as possible after becoming aware of them. Timely reporting helps UTMB respond appropriately, identify trends, and take action when needed.

  • Should I report an event if no harm occurred?

    Yes. Near misses and unsafe conditions provide valuable opportunities to identify risks and prevent future harm.

  • What should I do if there is an immediate safety or security threat?

    If there is an immediate threat to safety or a situation requiring urgent assistance, contact UTMB Police Department at ext. 2-1111, 409-772-1111 or call 911.

    Reporting systems should be used to document and follow up on incidents after immediate safety needs have been addressed.

  • What is a near miss?

    A near miss is an event that could have caused harm but did not, either because it was intercepted before reaching the patient or because circumstances prevented harm from occurring.

  • What information should I include?

    Provide as much factual information as possible, including what occurred, when and where it happened, who was involved, and any actions taken at the time of the event.

  • Can I report on behalf of someone else?

    Yes. If you become aware of a concern, event, unsafe condition, or behavior that should be reviewed, you may submit a report using the information available to you.

  • Who reviews reports?

    Reports are reviewed by the appropriate operational, quality, patient safety, risk management, patient relations, human resources, security, and leadership teams based on the nature of the event.

  • I used to submit reports in RLDatix. Where do I report now?

    SHIELD replaced RLDatix for reporting patient safety events, quality concerns, complaints, grievances, near misses, and opportunities for improvement. Use SHIELD for reports that were previously submitted through RLDatix.

  • Will I get in trouble for reporting an event?

    UTMB supports a culture of safety, learning, and continuous improvement. Reporting concerns in good faith is encouraged and helps strengthen our systems, improve outcomes, and enhance the experience of those we serve.

  • Why is reporting important?

    Reporting helps UTMB identify risks, learn from events, improve processes, strengthen safety, and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Our Commitment

Safety is everyone's responsibility. Whether you are reporting a patient safety event, quality concern, workplace violence incident, security concern, complaint, grievance, near miss, or unsafe condition, every report helps UTMB learn, improve, and create a safer environment for everyone.

Need More Assistance?

Patient Services

Call 409-772-4772 or email: patient.services@utmb.edu
UTMB Police

Emergency Assistance, Call: Ext. 2-1111, 409-772-1111, or call 911
Workplace Violence Prevention or Concerning Behavior

Email the Workplace Violence Prevention Manager: alfowler@utmb.edu