Fast Facts About Patient Safety Organizations
are Now Available
On January 19, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) final rule of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (the Act) became effective. The Act's main objectives are to encourage the expansion of voluntary, provider-driven initiatives to improve the safety of health care, to promote rapid learning about the underlying causes of risk and harms in the delivery of health care, and to share those findings widely, thereby speeding the pace of improvement.
The Act encourages the development of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) to work with clinicians and health care organizations to identify, analyze, and reduce the risks of hazards associated with patient care. PSOs report patient safety event information to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AHRQ then uses a Network of Patient Safety Databases, an interactive, evidence-based management resource for providers, PSOs, and other entities to analyze national and regional statistics, including trends and patterns regarding patient safety events.
Recently, the AHRQ provided clinicians, patient safety experts, risk managers and health care leaders with access to a list of more than 30 Fast Facts to help them understand PSOs and the role that PSOs play in fostering a culture of patient safety and quality.
The information contained on that site addresses key questions, including:
-
Who can seek listing as a PSO?
-
How does an entity apply to become a PSO?
-
Do PSOs receive federal funding?
-
What are the benefits to health care providers who work with a PSO?
AHRQ has also listed 57 entities as PSOs as of April 15, 2009; these entities represent 25 states and the District of Columbia. View contact information for listed PSOs.
Please contact Jody DeFord or Carly Everett
with any questions regarding the Patient Safety Quality Improvement Act, Patient Safety Organizations or the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Web site. | 