Debbie Dingell: “I rise in support of H.R. 663, the ``Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act.'' This bipartisan bill is the product…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 663, the ``Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act.'' This bipartisan bill is the product of collaboration with my colleagues on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, particularly Chairmen Tauzin and Bilirakis, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Brown. I also note that this legislation builds on the work of my colleagues on the Committee on Ways and Means, including Representatives Johnson, Stark, Thomas, and Rangel. I thank all who have made important contributions to this bill. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act addresses a problem that many of us are familiar with. According to a December 2003 survey by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Kaiser Family Foundation, 42 percent of the public says that they or a family member have experienced a medical error. This bill contains one piece of the puzzle that must be completed in order to reduce medical errors. It would create a voluntary reporting system for the purpose of learning from medical mistakes. Under this voluntary reporting system, health care providers could report information on medical errors to Patient Safety Organizations. These organizations would help providers analyze what went wrong and identify what strategies could prevent future mistakes. It is our intent that providers would take this knowledge and make changes in the health care delivery system to improve care for patients.”