Section 23-17.21-1. – Title.

§ 23-17.21-1. Title. This act shall be known and may be cited as “The Rhode Island Patient Safety Act of 2008.” History of Section.P.L. 2008, ch. 157, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 175, § 1.

Section 23-17.21-2. – Legislative findings.

§ 23-17.21-2. Legislative findings. The general assembly finds: (a) There are an unacceptable high number of preventable patient safety events in the health care system; (b) Current solutions that focus on reporting, discipline and retraining of individuals have proven inadequate alone to address this systemic problem. History of Section.P.L. 2008, ch. 157, § 1; P.L. […]

Section 23-17.21-3. – Legislative purpose and intent.

§ 23-17.21-3. Legislative purpose and intent. The general assembly proposes a Rhode Island patient safety organization that: (a) Works with hospitals, nursing facilities, and freestanding ambulatory surgical centers for both the reporting of patient safety events including situations in which a patient safety event was averted (near misses) and evaluating the root causes of the […]

Section 23-17.21-4. – Definitions.

§ 23-17.21-4. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health. (b) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health. (c) “Healthcare facility” means any corporation, limited liability company, facility, or institution licensed by this state to […]

Section 23-17.21-5. – Powers and duties of the department.

§ 23-17.21-5. Powers and duties of the department. The powers necessary to carry out the duties of this chapter shall be vested in the director and are as follows: (a) The director shall certify a patient safety organization that has met the following criteria: (1) has a mission statement with one of its purposes to […]

Section 23-17.21-6. – Requirements for reporting entities.

§ 23-17.21-6. Requirements for reporting entities. (a) Each reporting entity may enter into a written contract with a certified PSO in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. (b) Beginning January 1, 2009, a reporting entity may enter into a written contract with a patient safety organization to which it sends patient safety work product. […]

Section 23-17.21-7. – Requirements for patient safety organizations.

§ 23-17.21-7. Requirements for patient safety organizations. (a) PSO shall be certified by the department before entering into a contract with a reporting entity. (b) A PSO shall provide guidance to reporting entities on reporting matters, and shall maintain all reports and associated documents as confidential and privileged, including any reports or information with identifiable […]

Section 23-17.21-8. – Privilege and confidentiality protections.

§ 23-17.21-8. Privilege and confidentiality protections. (a) Privilege. Notwithstanding any other provision of federal, state, or local law to the contrary, and subject to subsection (c) herein, patient safety work product and a document log shall be privileged and shall not be: (1) subject to a federal, state, or local civil, criminal, or administrative subpoena […]

Section 23-17.21-9. – Severability.

§ 23-17.21-9. Severability. If any provision of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances shall be held invalid, any invalidity shall not affect the provisions or application of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of the chapter are […]