HHS Will Invest $50 Million to Improve Patient SafetyHHS Will Invest $50 Million to Improve Patient Safety
Originally Published MDDI November 2001HHS Will Invest $50 Million to Improve Patient SafetyOn October 11, 2001, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced that $50 million would be released to fund a series of new research grants, contracts, and other projects to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety.
November 1, 2001
Originally Published MDDI November 2001
HHS Will Invest $50 Million to Improve Patient Safety
On October 11, 2001, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced that $50 million would be released to fund a series of new research grants, contracts, and other projects to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety.
The funding has been earmarked for 94 projects that will be carried out at state agencies, major universities, hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, physicians' offices, professional societies, and other organizations nationwide.
According to Thompson, "Nothing could be more important than making sure patients receive quality care that doesn't cause unintended harm, and our investment in this kind of research will pay off in terms of improved patient safety for all Americans." The secretary explained that "these grants will help [researchers] identify the causes of medical errors and develop effective solutions to strengthen quality of care across the country."
The funding initiative will be administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The agency intends for the projects to address key unanswered questions about how medical errors occur, then provide science-based information on potential strategies to make the healthcare system safer.
The $50-million research initiative is considered to be the first phase of an effort that will span a number of years. The projects being funded reflect input that was gathered from consumers, healthcare providers, and policymakers during a national research summit last year. The meeting was led by AHRQ and its partners on the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force.
Copyright ©2001 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry
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