[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 231 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74788-74789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30798]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From
HealthWatch, Inc.
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.
ACTION: Notice of delisting.
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SUMMARY: AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment
from HealthWatch, Inc. of its status as a Patient Safety Organization
(PSO). 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 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 to no longer meet the
requirements of the Patient Safety Act and patient Safety Rule,
including when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a
PSO for any reason.
DATES: The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing
and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12 Midnight
ET (2400) on November 1, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Both directories can be accessed electronically at the
following HHS Web site: http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Grinder, 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:
[[Page 74789]]
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. 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 HealthWatch, Inc., PSO number P0010,
which is a component entity of Quality Health Strategies, Inc., to
voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, HealthWatch,
Inc. was delisted effective at 12 Midnight ET (2400) on November 1,
2011.
More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web
site at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.
Dated: November 16, 2011.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-30798 Filed 11-30-11; 8:45 a.m.]
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