[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70560-70561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28284]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From GE-
PSO

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

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

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SUMMARY: The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 
(Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21-b-26, 
provides for the formation of Patient Safety Organizations (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 no longer to meet the requirements of the Patient Safety 
Act and Patient Safety Rule, or when a PSO chooses to voluntarily 
relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason. AHRQ has accepted a 
notification of voluntary relinquishment from the GE-PSO of its status 
as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO accordingly.

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 September 30, 2013.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Hogan, 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 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. The Patient Safety Rule authorizes AHRQ 
to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and 
regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ``delisted'' if it is 
found to no longer meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and 
Patient Safety Rule, or when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish 
its status as a PSO for any reason. 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 GE-PSO, PSO number P0072, a 
component entity of GE Healthcare, to voluntarily relinquish its status 
as a PSO. Accordingly, GE-PSO was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight 
ET (2400) on September 30, 2013. GE-PSO has patient safety work product 
(PSWP) in its possession. The PSO will meet the

[[Page 70561]]

requirements of section 3.108(c)(2)(i) of the Patient Safety Rule 
regarding notification of providers that have reported to the PSO. In 
addition, according to section 3.108(c)(2)(ii) of the Patient Safety 
Rule regarding disposition of PSWP, the PSO has 90 days from the 
effective date of delisting and revocation to complete the disposition 
of PSWP that is currently in the PSO's possession.
    More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web 
site at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

    Dated: November 14, 2013.
Richard Kronick,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-28284 Filed 11-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P