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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=17698
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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 9, 2015 01:40 PM
From: Representative Florindo J. Fabrizio
To: All House members
Subject: Patient Safety Awareness Month in Pennsylvania
 
In the near future I plan to introduce a resolution to designate March 2015 as “Patient Safety Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine released a study “To Err is Human” that helped launch the patient safety movement by reporting that medical errors lead to the deaths of as many as 98,000 people each year and that medical errors relating to hospitalization cost between $17,000,000,000 and $29,000,000,000 annually. Since the release of the study, our country has made important progress in raising patient safety awareness systems, including developing reporting systems, and establishing national data collection standards.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, currently, there are 83 patient safety organizations nationwide in 30 states, including Pennsylvania. In 2002, Pennsylvania signed into law the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (MCARE) to address patient safety, medical professional and liability insurance reform, including the CAT fund (Medical Professional Liability Catastrophic Lost Fund). In addition, MCARE specifically called for the creation of the Patient Safety Authority (PSA) in the State of Pennsylvania. Today, PSA is committed, in partnership with patients and providers, to continually improving patient safety.

Nevertheless, and despite all the great progress made, the goal of patient safety is yet to be fully achieved. For this reason, it is important to recognize and reaffirm the Commonwealth’s commitment to promoting patient safety through education programs, supporting research, and expanding access to safe medical treatment.
Please join me by co-sponsoring this important resolution.



Introduced as HR204