Leapfrog's "Never Events" Policy
The Leapfrog Group has identified the following requirements for hospitals wishing to adhere to it's "Never Events" Policy:
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The Leapfrog Group asks hospitals to agree to all of the following if a never event occurs within their facility:
- We will apologize to the patient and/or family affected by the never event
- We will report the event to at least one of the following agencies within 10 days of becoming aware that the never event has occurred:
- Joint Commission, as part of its Sentinel Events policy*
- State reporting program for medical errors
- Patient Safety Organization (e.g. Maryland Patient Safety Center)
- We agree to perform a root cause analysis, consistent with instructions from the chosen reporting agency
- We will waive all costs directly related to a serious reportable adverse event
*Reporting of Sentinel Events to the Joint Commission is voluntary for its accredited hospitals.
How well does your hospital rank on this and other Leapfrog measures? Find out here.
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Hospital Acquired Events that will impact Medicare reimbursement as of October 1, 2008:
Unintended retention of object during surgery
Air embolism
Blood incompatibility
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
Pressure ulcers (decubitus ulcers)
Vascular catheter–associated infection
Surgical site infection—mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass graft surgery
Hospital-acquired injuries—fractures, dislocations, intracranial injury, crushing injury, burn, and other unspecified effects of external causes
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