[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 198 (Monday, October 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71361-71362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22575]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Meeting for Software Developers on the Common Formats for Patient 
Safety Data Collection

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce a meeting to discuss 
implementation of the Common Formats with software developers and other 
interested parties. This meeting is designed as an interactive forum 
where software developers can provide input on use of the formats. AHRQ 
especially requests participation by and input from those entities 
which have used AHRQ's technical specifications and implemented, or 
plan to implement, the Common Formats electronically.

DATES: The meeting will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, 
October 25, 2023.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held virtually.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erofile Gripiotis, Program Analyst, 
Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, 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: AHRQ coordinates the development of sets of 
standardized definitions and formats (Common Formats) that make it 
possible to collect, aggregate, and analyze uniformly structured 
information about health care quality and patient safety for local, 
regional, and national learning. The Common Formats include technical 
specifications to facilitate the collection of electronically 
comparable data by Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) and other 
entities. Additional information about the Common Formats can be 
obtained through AHRQ's PSO website at https://pso.ahrq.gov/common-formats and the PSO Privacy Protection Center's website at https://www.psoppc.org/psoppc_web/publicpages/commonFormatsOverview.

Background

    The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. 
299b-21 to 299b-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 
70731-70814, provide for the Federal listing of Patient Safety 
Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze 
confidential information (patient safety work product) regarding the 
quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety Act 
requires PSOs, to the extent practical and appropriate, to collect 
patient safety work product from providers in a standardized manner 
that permits valid comparisons of similar cases among similar 
providers. (42 U.S.C. 299b-24(b)(1)(F)). The Patient Safety Act also 
authorizes the development of data standards, known as the Common 
Formats, to facilitate the aggregation and analysis of non-identifiable 
patient safety data collected by PSOs and reported to the network of 
patient safety databases (NPSD). (42 U.S.C. 299b-23(b)). The Patient 
Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule can be accessed at: http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/legislation/.
    AHRQ has issued Common Formats for Event Reporting (CFER) for three 
settings of care--hospitals, nursing homes, and community pharmacies. 
AHRQ has also issued Common Formats for Event Reporting--Diagnostic 
Safety (CFER-DS) designed for use in all healthcare settings.
    Federally listed PSOs can meet the requirement to collect patient 
safety work product in a standardized manner to the extent practical 
and appropriate by using AHRQ's Common Formats. The Common Formats are 
also available in the public domain to encourage their widespread 
adoption. An entity does not need to be listed as a PSO or working with 
one to use the Common Formats. However, the Federal privilege and 
confidentiality protections only apply to information developed as 
patient safety work product by providers and PSOs working under the 
Patient Safety Act.

Agenda, Registration, and Other Information About the Meeting

    The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will be 
hosting this fully virtual meeting to discuss implementation of the 
Common Formats with members of the public, including software 
developers and other interested

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parties. Agenda topics will include discussion of a new Common Formats 
commenting tool and presentation from the HIMSS EHR Association. Active 
participation and discussion by meeting participants is encouraged.
    AHRQ requests that interested persons send an email to 
[email protected] for registration information. Before 
the meeting, an agenda and logistical information will be provided to 
registrants.

    Dated: October 6, 2023.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-22575 Filed 10-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P