[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10079-10080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05150]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From
Quality Alliance Patient Safety Organization
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 and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient
Safety Rule) authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to
list as a patient safety organization (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 and Quality Improvement Act of
2005 (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 Quality Alliance Patient Safety Organization,
PSO number P0163, of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO
accordingly.
DATES: The delisting was effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on
December 31, 2018.
ADDRESSES: The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are
ongoing and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. Both directories can be accessed
electronically at the following HHS website: http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/listed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathryn Bach, Center for Quality
Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 5600 Fishers Lane, MS 06N100B,
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 299b-26, and the
related Patient Safety Rule, 42 CFR part 3, published in the Federal
Register on November 21, 2008, 73 FR 70732-70814, establish a framework
by which individuals and entities that meet the definition of provider
in the Patient Safety Rule may voluntarily report information to PSOs
listed by AHRQ, 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 Quality Alliance Patient
Safety Organization, a component entity of Memorial Health System,
Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance, Southern Illinois University
HealthCare and Springfield Clinic, LLP, to voluntarily relinquish its
status as a PSO. Accordingly, Quality Alliance Patient Safety
Organization, P0163, was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400)
on December 31, 2018.
Quality Alliance Patient Safety Organization 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
[[Page 10080]]
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 website
at http://www.pso.ahrq.gov.
Gopal Khanna,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-05150 Filed 3-18-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P