Patients for Patient Safety US to Celebrate New Patient Safety Rules on World Patient Safety Day

WASHINGTON, August 8, 2024 (Newswire.com) - As World Patient Safety Day 2024 approaches on September 17th, Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) commends the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for adding a game-changing new Patient Safety Structural Measure (PSSM) to the payment and policy rules for hospitals providing services under Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Starting on October 1, 2024, the PSSM asks hospital leaders to attest to whether their hospital uses recognized best practices to ensure patient safety. The attestation statements are structured under five domains: 1) Leadership Commitment to Eliminating Preventable Harm, 2) Strategic Planning & Organizational Policy, 3) Culture of Safety & Learning Systems, 4) Accountability & Transparency, and 5) Patient & Family Engagement. When fully implemented, hospital-specific results will be publicly reported by CMS, reinforcing public confidence in hospital safety and informing patient choice. 

“These best practices aren’t new, but patients don't know which ones are and which ones are not in place in the hospitals we use,” said Beth Daley Ullem, a co-founder of PFPS US. “CMS, the Joint Commission, and State licensing bodies do not know either. It’s astounding that 25 years after the To Err is Human report’s call to action, so much patient safety performance information is still hidden.”

Carole Hemmelgarn, PFPS US co-founder, added, “Inclusion of the PSSM in the Medicare Program exemplifies federal leadership on patient safety. This is a great step forward for transparency.”

In 2022, PFPS US published "Who Killed Patient Safety?" to reignite the prioritization of patient safety as a public health issue, which led to significant strides. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra established the National Action Alliance for Healthcare and Workforce Safety, CMS set a goal of "zero preventable harm," new federal rules have strengthened patient access to medical records, and President Biden’s prestigious Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology issued transformational patient safety recommendations.

“We'll celebrate these important steps on World Patient Safety Day, and encourage our leaders to continue this urgent work,” said Sue Sheridan, co-founder of PFPS US. Established by the World Health Organization, World Patient Safety Day 2024 kicks off a year of focus on Improving Diagnostic Safety. PFPS US is planning several activities in Washington, DC, from September 15-17^th to recognize loved ones lost to or harmed by unsafe care and call for further action. “We must shine a light on the preventable harm related to missed, delayed or failure to communicate diagnoses, which contributes to the harm or death of up to 795,000 Americans annually,” added Sheridan.

About Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) (www.pfps.us)

As part of the World Health Organization's global Patients for Patient Safety initiative, PFPS US is a patient-led nonprofit based in the United States. We are dedicated to enhancing healthcare through transparency, accountability, and active engagement of patients and families.

Media Contact: Sue Sheridan, [email protected]

Source: Patients for Patient Safety US