[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7799-7800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03034]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From Verge 
Patient Safety Organization

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of delisting.

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SUMMARY: The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 42 
U.S.C. 299b-21 to b-26, (Patient Safety Act) and the related Patient 
Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule, 42 CFR part 3 (Patient 
Safety Rule), published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2008, 
(73 FR 70732-70814), provide for the formation of Patient Safety 
Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze 
confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health 
care delivery. The Patient Safety Rule 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, when a 
PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any 
reason, or when a PSO's listing expires. AHRQ has accepted a 
notification of voluntary relinquishment from Verge Patient Safety 
Organization of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO 
accordingly.

DATES: The directories for both listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing 
and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. The delisting was effective at 12:00 
Midnight ET (2400) on February 2, 2016.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Hogan, Center for Quality 
Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 06N94B, 
Rockville, MD 20857; Telephone (toll free): (866) 403-3697; Telephone 
(local): (301) 427-1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 438-7231; TTY (local): 
(301) 427-1130; Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2e2e1fdf2f3fae0e39cdadac19cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7525263a35343d27245b1d1d065b121a03">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Patient Safety Act authorizes the listing of PSOs, which are 
entities or component organizations whose

[[Page 7800]]

mission and primary activity are to conduct activities to improve 
patient safety and the quality of health care delivery.
    HHS issued the 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 PSOs. The 
Patient Safety Rule authorizes AHRQ to list as a PSO an entity that 
attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for 
listing. A PSO can be ``delisted'' if it is found to no longer meet the 
requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, when a 
PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any 
reason, or when the PSO's listing expires. 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 PSOs.
    AHRQ has accepted a notification from Verge Patient Safety 
Organization, a component entity of Verge Solutions, LLC, PSO number 
P0118, to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO. Accordingly, 
Verge Patient Safety Organization was delisted effective at 12:00 
Midnight ET (2400) on February 2, 2016.
    Verge Patient Safety Organization has patient safety work product 
(PSWP) in its possession. The PSO will meet the requirements of section 
3.108(c)(2)(i) of the Patient Safety Rule regarding notification to 
providers that have reported to the PSO. In addition, according to 
sections 3.108(c)(2)(ii) and 3.108(b)(3) of the Patient Safety Rule 
regarding disposition of PSWP, the PSO has 90 days from the effective 
date of delisting and revocation to complete the disposition of PSWP 
that is currently in the PSO's possession.
    More information on PSOs can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web 
site at http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/.

Sharon B. Arnold,
AHRQ Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-03034 Filed 2-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P


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