[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79192-79193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32579]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the 
Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient 
Safety Organization (GHA-PSO)

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

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SUMMARY: AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment 
from The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation 
Patient Safety Organization (GHA-PSO) of its status as a Patient Safety 
Organization (PSO). The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 
2005 (Patient Safety Act), Pub. L. 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21--b-26, 
provides for the formation of PSOs, which collect, aggregate, and 
analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of 
health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final 
Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf 
of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that 
it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO 
can be ``delisted'' by the Secretary if it is found to no longer meet 
the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, 
including when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a 
PSO for any reason.

DATES: The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing 
and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12:00 
Midnight ET (2400) on December 6, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Both directories can be accessed electronically at the 
following HHS Web site: http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Grinder, Center for Quality 
Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 
20850; Telephone (toll free): (866) 403-3697; Telephone (local): (301) 
427-1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 438-7231; TTY (local): (301) 427-1130; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Patient Safety Act authorizes the listing of PSOs, which are 
entities or component organizations whose mission and primary activity 
is to

[[Page 79193]]

conduct activities to improve patient safety and the quality of health 
care delivery.
    HHS issued the Patient Safety Rule to implement the Patient Safety 
Act. AHRQ administers the provisions of the Patient Safety Act and 
Patient Safety Rule (PDF file, 450 KB. PDF Help) relating to the 
listing and operation of PSOs. Section 3.108(d) of the Patient Safety 
Rule requires AHRQ to provide public notice when it removes an 
organization from the list of federally approved PSOs. AHRQ has 
accepted a notification from The Georgia Hospital Association Research 
and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA-PSO), PSO 
number P0057, which is a component entity of the Georgia Hospital 
Association Research and Education Foundation, to voluntarily 
relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, The Georgia Hospital 
Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety 
Organization (GHA-PSO) was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET 
(2400) on December 6, 2011.
    More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web 
site at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

    Dated: December 14, 2011.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-32579 Filed 12-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M