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Medical Liability Reform & Patient Safety Initiative


Too many patients experience significant challenges with health care quality and patient safety, and injured patients are not well-served by the current medical liability system. In addition, the medical community reports serious problems with the medical liability system.

In response, one component of President Obama's health care reform proposals is launching a new demonstration initiative through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Background / Subcommittee / More Information


Background

AHRQ is soliciting applications for a new demonstration initiative (R18) that will help States and health care systems to test models that meet the following goals:

  • Put patient safety first and work to reduce preventable injuries.
  • Foster better communication between doctors and their patients.
  • Ensure that patients are compensated in a fair and timely manner for medical injuries while also reducing the incidence of frivolous lawsuits.
  • Reduce liability premiums.

AHRQ is also supporting planning grants (R21) to State and health systems for future initiatives in patient safety and medical liability reform.

For more information on the solicitations:

Subcommittee on Patient Safety and Medical Liability Reform

The Subcommittee of the AHRQ National Advisory Committee met on October 26:

More Information

Go to the HHS Fact Sheet for details on the Patient Safety and Medical Liability Reform Demonstration.

Current as of November 2009


Internet Citation:

Medical Liability Reform and Patient Safety: Demonstration and Planning Grants. November 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/liability/


 

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