Proposed regulation could improve quality of health care

AORN Journal, May, 2008

A Proposed regulation to foster the establishment of patient safety organizations (PSOs) may improve the quality of health care, according to a February 12, 2008, news release from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Patient safety organizations are private entities that collect and analyze data from patient safety events that are voluntarily reported by health care providers. Strict confidentiality provisions encourage voluntary reporting without the fear of Legal action or sanctions. Breaches of confidentiality provisions may result in the imposition of civil monetary penalties.

The PSOs would provide feedback to help clinicians and health care organizations improve patient safety. The proposed regulation provides a framework to facilitate shared Learning, describes how an organization can become a PSO, and explains how clinicians will be able to report patient safety events confidentially.

Rules for formally recognizing qualified PSOs will be administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The Office of Civil Rights will enforce the confidentiality provisions of the act.

New patient safety proposed regulation aims to improve health care quality and patient safety [news release]. Rockville, MD: United States Department of Health and Human Services; February 12, 2008.