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Tennessee Improving Patient Safety

Tennessee Improving Patient Safety

Doctors with a Patient

Our mission:

  • Reduce medical errors
  • Improve safety for people receiving health care in Tennessee
  • Increase public awareness


Our goal:

  • Facilitate learning and collaboration
  • Provide a forum for leaders to share successful patient safety strategies
  • Improve public access to health care information

Our objectives:

OBJECTIVE #1 – PROVIDE ONGOING LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.

     Strategies

  • Evaluate effects of electronic reporting – write a letter to facilities who report electronically

  • Support electronic reporting and provide input into the refining of UIRS – simplify the format for root cause analysis

  • Review and support Patient Safety Practices recommended

  • Evaluate approaches to underreporting – write letters to those facilities not reporting
    -  establish focus groups with facilities not reporting
    -      identify key components to the surveyor checklist for reporting unusual events by June 2006

OBJECTIVE #2 – COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE PATIENT SAFETY EFFORTS WITHIN THE STATE

      Strategies

  • Develop a statewide community education initiative on error prevention and error reporting

  • Plan and conduct a summit addressing patient safety and health care error reduction and provide direction for the future - address community and facility efforts in the annual report on patient safety

  • Evaluate and recommend improvement in professional reporting – provide updates to key professional boards at least twice a year

OBJECTIVE #3 – REVIEW BEST METHODS FOR DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING

      Strategies

  • Establish a method to communicate data analysis and Patient Safety practices periodically – publish two newsletters during 2006

  • Assist in the development of approaches to improve completeness of reports – conduct education session in each region in conjunction with Associations and establish work groups to update interpretive guidelines

  • Identify new approaches that would address underreporting - conduct focus groups in each region of the State and write letter to those not reporting

OBJECTIVE #4 – IDENTIFY MATERIALS RELATING TO PATIENT SAFETY EFFORTS THAT CAN BE DISSEMINATED, REPRINTED, OR ADOPTED

      Strategies

  • Determine the type and most effective way to present information on patient safety and health care errors – revise membership list on TIPS, communicate in newsletter and website
    -  develop a model patient safety education and training program with THA and THCA’s    assistance
    -  devise an expert consulting team to assist facilities with root cause analysis

  • Encourage medical schools, nursing schools, teaching hospitals to incorporate patient safety training programs into their curriculum – write a letter to each school encouraging addition of patient safety into their curriculum

 

Improving Patient Safety Coalition

The Tennessee Improving Patient Safety Coalition (TIPS) is a voluntary group of concern health care stakeholders established in August 2001.  The broad-based coalition is represented by more than 30 different health care providers, professionals, industry associations, consumers, regulatory and accrediting organizations and purchasers committed to improving patient safety in Tennessee.

The coalition provides leadership and strategic planning for Tennessee's patient safety activity. Its members represent the major interests and stakeholders in health care and patient safety.

Click here to view the coalition list.

Rules and Regulations

State Rules pertaining to Health Care Facilities are found at the following site:
State Rules

State Laws pertaining to Health Care Facilities are found under Legal Resources, TN Code Annotated #68-11-201 through #68-11-1500 at the following site:
Lexis Publishing

State Law pertaining to Health Data Reporting Act of 2002 #68-11-211 (PDF)

Interpretative Guidelines

In order to clarify the interpretation of the term “event of an unusual nature”, the Department developed a reference manual for use by facility and Department staff.  Each reportable event has a unique code and is defined by an inclusion and exclusion list for every occurrence code providing specific examples of reportable and non-reportable events.

Click here to view the "Interpretative Guidelines for Reporting Incidents Manual

Feedback

The Tennessee Department of Health works to protect and promote the health of all Tennesseans.  We welcome your comments and suggestions concerning improving patient safety. 

Please send questions and comments to: patient.safety@tn.gov