Summary: ECRI supports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in approving a new Patient Safety Structural Measure, part of the hospital quality reporting program. This measure aims to prioritize patient and workforce safety by encouraging a systems-based approach to improving safety practices in healthcare institutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • CMS Initiative: ECRI applauds CMS’s introduction of the Patient Safety Structural Measure, which aims to improve safety practices in healthcare by encouraging a systems-based approach.
  • Call for Cultural Change: ECRI emphasizes the need for healthcare institutions to reassess safety protocols and commit to a culture of continuous learning and improvement, driven by the new CMS measure.

ECRI has expressed support for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) following the approval of a new Patient Safety Structural Measure as part of the hospital quality reporting program update.

Measure’s Impact on Healthcare Safety

The measure is part of an ongoing effort to prioritize patient and workforce safety across healthcare institutions. By introducing a standardized framework, the measure encourages hospitals to adopt a systems-based approach that could lead to substantial improvements in safety practices.

Preventable medical errors are responsible for an estimated 100,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to ECRI, highlighting a critical issue within the healthcare industry.

Statements from ECRI

In a statement from ECRI president and CEO Dr. Marcus Schabacker, he said that there has been growing concern that the industry has become alarmingly complacent regarding avoidable fatalities and adverse events that jeopardize patient safety. The root cause of most of these adverse events is often systemic failures, which are challenging to address effectively when safety hazards are tackled in isolated, reactive ways.

ECRI has advocated for a more comprehensive approach. This advocacy is embodied in ECRI’s Total Systems Safety (TSS) framework, which emphasizes redesigning system elements through clinically informed human factor engineering to improve patient and workforce safety on a programmatic level.

“This CMS structural measure could be a catalyst for healthcare institutions to revisit their approach to safety, assess where they stand, and commit to addressing long-standing issues with a heightened level of transparency and urgency,” said Schabacker.

A Call for Action

Schabacker added that the introduction of this structural measure by CMS provides a crucial opportunity for healthcare institutions to reevaluate their safety protocols, confront enduring challenges, and commit to a culture of continuous learning and improvement. This initiative brings safety to the forefront, calling for systemic and cultural changes that foster resilience within healthcare systems.

He commended CMS for taking this bold step and said it stands in solidarity with health systems striving to achieve zero preventable harm in the delivery of patient care.