Media Release

For: Immediate Release, January 4, 2002
Contact: Robert J. Marshall Jr., Ph.D.401-222-1017

Media Update
Department of Health Updates Progress on Hospital Survey Report

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) has broad responsibility and authority to protect and promote the quality of health care in the state. This includes conducting surveys and collecting reports on medical errors in hospitals.

On November 27, 2001, HEALTH released a report on these and related issues for 1994 through 2000 (Report available at www.health.ri.gov/media/011116a.htm.) The study identified problems in areas of hospital performance that strongly influence the rate of medical errors. HEALTH made 10 specific recommendations designed to promote quality, improve accountability and help prevent medical errors in hospitals. Of the 10 recommendations, HEALTH already started action on 6 (see attached table).

As a result of this report, HEALTH issued 29 deficiency notices and required plans of correction from 12 hospitals. HEALTH established quarterly meetings with hospital staff to review and discuss medical incidents and errors. The hospital regulations were changed to clarify incident and event reporting definitions and reporting requirements. Subsequently, incident reports increased from 132 in 1999 to a projected 294 in 2001.In addition, HEALTH took a leadership role with other New England states to establish a relationship with the Institute for Physician Evaluation (IPE)—a national service offering intense professional intervention with physicians on quality of care issues. HEALTH, along with Kent Hospital and Lifespan, also held exploratory discussions with the Practitioner Remediation and Enhancement Partnership Pilot Project (PREP) PREP is a national project providing tools for state medical and nursing boards, working with hospitals and other health care organizations, to identify, remediate and monitor deficiencies among health care practitioners using a non-disciplinary approach.

Taken together, these initiatives complement activities of the Health Quality Performance Measurement and Reporting Program (HQPMRP) which focuses on quality of care in licensed health care facilities. Materials from this program are available at www.health.ri.gov/chic/performance/series.htm.

Progress on Implementing Recommendations for HEALTH report on Hospital Incidents and Events