|
Returning home from a speech in Virginia and some breaking news is presented below. Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD AMA Immediate Past-President
DJP 3-9-2005 AMA Update: Patient Safety bill passes Senate HELP Committee; AMA testimony Specialty Hospitals
ITEM ONE: Patient Safety Bill passes US Senate HELP Committee ITEM TWO: AMA Testimony by Dr. Bill Plested on Specialty Hospitals
ITEM ONE: Patient Safety Bill passes US Senate HELP Committee S. 544, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005. AMA is working hard on this issue with the Federation and coaliton allies. Together we are stronger and can get the job done. DJP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2005
PATIENT SAFETY LEGISLATION MOVES FORWARD IN SENATE, HELP COMMITTEE PASSES BILL
Statement Attributable to: Donald J. Palmisano, M.D. AMA Immediate Past-President
“Today, during Patient Safety Awareness Week, the Senate took an important step toward passage of patient safety legislation. The American Medical Association applauds the Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for passing the bipartisan Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005.
“This legislation establishes a system for reporting and analyzing health care errors to improve patient safety and health care quality. Health care errors would be prevented by transforming the existing culture of blame, which suppresses information about errors, into a culture of safety, which focuses on sharing information in order to prevent future errors. The Aviation Safety Reporting System serves as a successful model for this system.
“When physicians can report errors in a voluntary and confidential manner, everyone benefits. Future errors can be prevented as we learn from past mistakes. This legislation strikes the proper balance between confidentiality and the need to ensure accountability throughout the health care system. Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) would analyze the problems, identify solutions and provide feedback to avoid future errors.
“In the last Congress, both the House and Senate passed versions of this important legislation. We look forward to both the House and Senate again passing this legislation -- and the President signing it into law -- for the safety of America’s patients.”
###
Contact: Katherine M. Hatwell Public Information Officer, Washington Media Relations (202) 789-7419
ITEM TWO: AMA Testimony by Dr. Bill Plested on Specialty Hospitals
AMA TO CONGRESS: SPECIALTY HOSPITALS, COMPETITION PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY PATIENT CARE AMA Trustee Calls for End to Moratorium on Physician Referrals to Specialty Hospitals
WASHINGTON – Specialty hospitals provide quality care to patients, and the current moratorium on physician referrals to specialty hospitals should not be extended, the American Medical Association (AMA) testified to the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee today.
“The AMA strongly supports and encourages competition as a means of promoting high-quality, cost-effective health care,” said AMA Trustee William Plested, M.D. “Patients should continue to benefit from these specialty hospitals.”
A three-year study of MedCath, a chain of heart specialty hospitals, found that these hospitals cared for sicker patients than the local hospitals and had better outcomes. MedCath hospitals also treated more complex cardiac cases and had a higher proportion of patients undergo surgery compared to hospitals treating similar patients.
“Focusing on a specific area of service can lead to higher quality and lower costs as a result of more expert and efficient care,” said Dr. Plested. “By performing high volumes of specific services, specialty hospitals can perfect those tasks, increase accountability for the quality of care provided to patients, lower fixed costs and quickly respond to patient needs.”
While general hospitals have expressed concerns about competing with specialty hospitals, there is no data that physician ownership and referrals to specialty hospitals conflicts with the best interests of their patients.
“Competition works,” said Dr. Plested. “In the hospital industry, the addition of specialty hospitals to the mix gives patients more choice, forcing existing hospitals to innovate to keep patients coming to them. This is a win-win situation in providing a better quality of care.”
“This does not need to be an either-or scenario: Support for physician-owned specialty hospitals in no way diminishes the important role of the general hospital in the community,” said Dr. Plested.
General hospitals should be appropriately paid for the community services they provide to eliminate reliance on higher paying services to subsidize community care. “The answer is to support competition and eliminate cross-subsidization of services,” said Dr. Plested.
### Katherine M. Hatwell AMA Public Information Officer (202) 789-7419
|