[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 86 (Friday, May 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 21232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09088]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the
Healogics Patient Safety Institute
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 Healogics Patient
Safety Institute of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO
accordingly. The Healogics Patient Safety Institute submitted this
request for voluntary relinquishment after receiving a Notice of
Preliminary Finding of Deficiency.
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 March 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 and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, (Patient
Safety Act) and the related Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
Final Rule, (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 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 Healogics Patient Safety
Institute, a component entity of Healogics, Inc., PSO number P0169, to
voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, the Healogics
Patient Safety Institute was delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight EDT
(2400) on March 21, 2017. AHRQ notes that the Healogics Patient Safety
Institute submitted this request for voluntary relinquishment following
receipt of the Notice of Preliminary Finding of Deficiency sent to the
PSO on February 22, 2017.
Healogics Patient Safety Institute 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. 2017-09088 Filed 5-4-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P