What is a Patient Safety Organization?
The federal Patient Safety Organization (PSO) program stems from the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA). In the act, the Patient Safety Rule called for the creation of Patient Safety Organizations as a means of analyzing, learning from, and improving upon patient safety outcomes in US healthcare delivery.
Is joining a PSO the right move for my organization?
Data analytics are used to guide most modern organizational decision-making. Today's highly complex and multi-faceted healthcare organizations simply cannot afford to NOT be learning from data. An expert such as Clarity PSO will help you capture data properly, translate data into actual knowledge, and use that knowledge to drive decision-making, craft initiatives, and improve organizational safety.
Can you explain the legal protections that come with PSO participation?
To encourage reporting and participation in the PSO program, the PSQIA ensures that all properly collected and reported data to a federally listed PSO are legally protected from discovery in the case of potential litigation.
How can you help to ensure the legal protections?
Through the law, all licensed providers are encouraged to collect and report patient safety and quality information to a listed PSO for analysis via a properly structured Patient Safety Evaluation System, or PSES.
Reported data, referred to as Patient Safety Work Product, or PSWP, are held confidential and legally protected from discovery when your PSES is structured properly.
Clarity PSO is an expert in the proper structuring of Patient Safety Evaluation Systems.
Can you please explain PSES and PSWP? That's a lot of letters.
Yes, in healthcare, there are a lot of acronyms!
PSES stands for "Patient Safety Evaluation System" and refers to the process that is in place at a healthcare provider for reporting, reviewing and sharing patient safety event information with a PSO.
PSWP stands for "Patient Safety Work Product" and refers to the actual information shared through the PSES.
The important takeaway is that when your PSES is structured properly, your PSWP is protected by the privilege and confidentiality protections afforded in the law.
Why Clarity PSO?
- We're an early pioneer in the federal PSO program
- We set the standard for PSO participation
- We were the first to produce common-format reports for AHRQ
- We are experts in the proper structuring of reported data
- We are experts in translating data into learning
By working with Clarity PSO, you gain access to risk-quality-safety management services, benchmarking opportunities, detailed event review, education, and resources for evidence-based best practices. We work with a highly qualified Healthcare Advisory Council to provide service excellence built on our more than 40 years of experience modifying systems to enhance healthcare quality. The process really is quite simple, and we encourage you to reach out to us to learn more.
Thinking of joining a PSO? Just curious? Need more information? We're here for you. Contact Us and we'll set up a quick informational chat.
