Medical Errors Should Be Reported Publicly, National Quality Panel Says

"Serious" medical errors should be publicly reported because the current system of voluntary efforts to track such errors are "too secretive" and inadequate, a committee of the National Quality Forum concluded in a report being circulated to its members, USA Today reports. Funded by a $1.5 million contract with federal agencies, the "blue-ribbon" panel of experts is creating a plan for publicizing serious, preventable errors and is developing quality standards for hospitals. According to the forum's CEO, the plan will likely call for identifying health care facilities by name, but not physicians, nurses or other involved caregivers. Reporting would be limited to 27 serious problems that the "public expects should be reported," such as wrong-site surgeries and deaths caused by medication errors. More common errors, such as drug "mix-ups" that don't cause patient harm, would not be reported under the system. Under the plan, states would be allowed to create their own reporting systems and requirements. If approved by the forum's 19-member board, the panel's recommendations could "carry weight" with Congress, private business and HCFA, USA Today reports.

'Controversial' Proposal
Despite mounting interest in quality improvement, NQF's proposal for an "open public databank" is "bound to be controversial." Many providers and some quality experts are opposed to the proposal, saying that medical error data can be "misleading and could actually discourage disclosure by creating an atmosphere of "blame." For example, the American Hospital Association prefers a voluntary reporting system that does not reveal the names of facilities or health workers involved. USA Today reports that the committee emphasizes that serious, preventable errors are rare, so that "solving" such errors may not significantly improve patient safety. The report also concludes that it would be "difficult" to use such data to compare hospitals. NQF was founded in May 1999 and currently comprises 121 members, including insurers, providers, consumer groups and federal agencies (Appleby, USA Today, 5/21).