Senate Committee Approves Bill To Establish Medical Error Reporting Database, USA

Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 11 Mar 2005 - 7:00 PDT

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The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee on Wednesday approved by voice vote a bill (S 544) that would create a database to allow care providers to report medical errors, CQ Today reports. The database would be used to track medical errors, examine trends and prevent reoccurring mistakes, CQ Today reports. Information included in the database would not be used in medical malpractice lawsuits, according to CQ Today. Before the full Senate considers the measure, committee Chair Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) are expected to insert language to clarify that the bill would not affect information already available to attorneys for use in malpractice suits. The committee last year approved similar legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Senate. The House approved a separate version of the legislation, but the issue died after conference committee members were not appointed. The new bill is expected to pass the Senate. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has not yet scheduled a review of the bill (Schuler, CQ Today, 3/9).

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