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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25179-25180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10012]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

 Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From 
Surgical Safety Institute

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

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SUMMARY: AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment 
from the Surgical Safety Institute of its status as a Patient Safety 
Organization (PSO). The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 
2005 (Patient Safety Act) authorizes the listing of PSOs, which are 
entities or component organizations whose mission and primary activity 
is to conduct activities to improve patient safety and the quality of 
health care delivery. HHS issued the Patient Safety and Quality 
Improvement Final Rule (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 PS0s.

DATES: The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing 
and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12 Midnight 
ET (2400) on February 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Both directories can be accessed electronically at the 
following HHS Web site: http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

[[Page 25180]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Hogan, Center for Quality 
Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 
20850; Telephone (toll free): (866) 403-3697; Telephone (local): (301) 
427-1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 438-7231; TTY (local): (301) 427-1130; 
Email: pso@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Patient Safety Act, Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21--b-26, 
provides for the formation of PSOs, which collect, aggregate, and 
analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of 
health care delivery. The Patient Safety Rule, 42 CFR part 3, 
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. 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 PS0s, including when a 
PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any 
reason. Accordingly, Surgical Safety Institute, PSO number P0056, was 
delisted effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on February 21, 2012.
    More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web 
site at http://www.pso.AHRQ.gov/index.html.

    Dated: April 19, 2012.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-10012 Filed 4-26-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M
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