In a strong step forward for patient safety, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have included the Patient Safety Structural Measure (PSSM) in the public reporting and payment provisions for the FY2025 Medicare Program, which starts October 1, 2024. These CMS measures ensure hospitals have the necessary systems in place to provide high-quality care.
As part of the PSSM, hospitals will now need to attest publicly to having “a defined, evidence-based communication and resolution program reliably implemented after harm events”. These programs give patients and families support, empathy, and transparency when harm occurs in their health care. For hospitals, these programs help them improve patient safety and prevent future harm.
This is a significant step toward ensuring hospitals nationwide have these important programs to respond to harm in a way that supports patients, families, and providers while taking important steps to improve patient safety
“The way hospitals respond to and prevent harm is an essential component of patient safety. This measure not only provides guidance for hospitals but also the opportunity to be recognized when they do it well,” said Evan Benjamin, MD, MS, FACP, Director of Community Innovation at Ariadne Labs, Co-Founder of PACT
The Pathway to Accountability, Compassion, and Transparency (PACT) Collaborative helps organizations build and strengthen comprehensive, highly-reliable, evidence-based Communication and Resolution Programs. It gives organizations the support they need to confidently attest “yes” to the new measure. The next wave of the Collaborative starts this October, with applications due September 20th.
Learn more in the PACT Collaborative Information Packet or send the completed PACT Collaborative application to pact@ariandelabs.org.