Mckenna Long & Aldridge Assists New York's Northern Metropolitan Hospital In A Groundbreaking Filing To Be A Patient Safety Organization

Main Category: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 17 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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New York's Northern Metropolitan (NorMet) Hospital Association today became the first in the country to file to become a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

PSO's are private entities recognized by the Secretary to collect and analyze patient safety events reported by physicians and other healthcare providers. Aided by McKenna Long & Aldridge, NorMet filed under the statutory provisions of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005.

NorMet could not wait for the Administration to issue its guidelines on becoming listed as a PSO so they filed under the statutory provisions. Said Peggy Binzer, attorney with McKenna Long & Aldridge, who made the filing on NorMet's request. "NorMet is a leader in the healthcare field and hopefully the Secretary will list them in a timely fashion." Hospitals partnering with the NorMet Hospital Association will be among the safest in the nation." A former Congressional staffer, Binzer originally worked on the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act which provides a framework recommended by the Institutes of Medicine allowing healthcare providers to report information on patient safety events (medical errors, near misses, adverse events and other quality information) to the PSO's.

In February of this year, HHS issued proposed rules concerning aspects of the Patient Safety Act, including the process for listing the PSO.

The NorMet PSO will be a non-profit 501 (c) C organization. It's priority will be to improve safety and care for patients in hospitals throughout a seven county region north of New York City.

By partnering with McKenna Long & Aldridge, an international law firm with experience in health care, public policy, corporate and government affairs and other fields, NorMet was able to become the first association to file the request.

About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP is an international law firm of attorneys and public policy advisors. The firm provides business solutions in the areas of environmental regulation, international law, public policy and regulatory affairs, corporate law, government contracts, intellectual property and technology, complex litigation, real estate, energy and finance. To learn more about the firm and its services, log on to www.mckennalong.com.