Feds: New Patient Safety Organizations aim to improve health care quality

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced regulations on Feb. 12 to establish  Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), which will be private entities that collect and analyze patient safety events as reported by health care providers. (Source: HHS Press Release Date, Feb. 12, 2008.) PSOs will "allow for the voluntary reporting of patient safety events without fear of new tort liability. In addition, they would encourage clinicians and health care organizations to voluntarily share data on patient safety events more freely and consistently. Under the proposal, PSOs can collect, aggregate and analyze data, and provide feedback to help clinicians and health care organizations improve health care quality." More information on PSOs can be found on the AHRQ website.