[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 158 (Thursday, August 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39124-39125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17153]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the 
Specialty Benchmarks PSO

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

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

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SUMMARY: 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 Specialty Benchmarks 
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

[[Page 39125]]

reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was applicable at 12:00 Midnight 
ET (2400) on July 12, 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 and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. 
299b-21 to b-26, (Patient Safety Act) and the related Patient Safety 
and Quality Improvement Final Rule, 42 CFR part 3 (Patient Safety 
Rule), published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2008, 73 FR 
70732-70814, 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 Act 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 Specialty Benchmarks PSO, 
a component entity of Market Share, LLC, PSO number P0113, to 
voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, the Specialty 
Benchmarks PSO was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on 
July 12, 2017.
    The Specialty Benchmarks PSO 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 and of section 3.108(c)(2)(ii) 
regarding disposition of PSWP consistent with section 3.108(b)(3). 
According to section 3.108(b)(3) of the Patient Safety Rule, 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,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-17153 Filed 8-16-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P4160-90-P