[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13808-13809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05073]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the 
MagMutual Patient Safety Institute, LLC

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 
(Patient Safety Act) and the related

[[Page 13809]]

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule, 42 CFR part 3 
(Patient Safety Rule), published in the Federal Register on November 
21, 2008, establish a framework by which hospitals, doctors, and other 
health care providers may voluntarily report information to Patient 
Safety Organizations (PSOs), on a privileged and confidential basis, 
for the aggregation and analysis of patient safety events. The Patient 
Safety Rule 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, when a PSO chooses to 
voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason, or when a 
PSO's listing expires. AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary 
relinquishment from the MagMutual Patient Safety Institute, LLC 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 February 21, 2017.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Hogan, Center for Quality 
Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 06N94B, 
Rockville, MD 20857; 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, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21 to b-26, authorizes the 
listing of PSOs, which are entities or component organizations whose 
mission and primary activity are 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 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, when a 
PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any 
reason, or when a PSO's listing expires. 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 MagMutual Patient Safety 
Institute, LLC, a component entity of MAG Mutual Insurance Company, PSO 
number P0159, to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. 
Accordingly, the MagMutual Patient Safety Institute, LLC was delisted 
effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on February 21, 2017.
    The MagMutual Patient Safety Institute, LLC has patient safety work 
product (PSWP) in its possession. The PSO will meet the requirements of 
section 3.108(c)(2)(i) of the Patient Safety Rule regarding 
notification to providers that have reported to the PSO. In addition, 
according to sections 3.108(c)(2)(ii) and 3.108(b)(3) 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.

Sharon B. Arnold,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-05073 Filed 3-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4160-90-P