MagMutual Patient Safety Institute to Help Improve Medical Care, Reduce Errors as Patient Safety Organization

ATLANTA, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The MagMutual Patient Safety Institute will help lead a national push to improve the quality and safety of medical care as the latest Patient Safety Organization (PSO) designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Institute is one of only 81 PSOs in 30 states that aggregate and analyze clinical data on adverse events and medical errors. As correlations or patterns emerge, PSOs and healthcare providers can use the data to enhance safety measures.

"Recognition as a PSO is the latest affirmation of MagMutual's 30-year commitment to provide the best patient safety and risk management resources as added value for our physician and hospital owners and partners," said Dr. Joseph S. Wilson, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of MagMutual.

As an authorized PSO, the Patient Safety Institute also provides a safe harbor for communication between the PSO and the healthcare community.

"Transparent discussions of clinical events, errors and near misses will lead to better care," Wilson said.

The Patient Safety Act of 2005 protects information shared with a PSO so providers may voluntarily report on safety-related issues without fear of legal discovery. The Institute follows strict policies and procedures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to guarantee reported information stays confidential.

However, the PSO leverages data from more than 25,000 closed malpractice claims through MagMutual Insurance Company.

"Our goal is to understand why errors and claims happen, and provide tools to prevent them," said Dr. Mary G. Gregg, FACS, MHA and president of MagMutual Patient Safety Institute. "Closed claims analysis is only part of the picture of safety events in medical care. We'll be able to collect richer data that will help our physician practices and hospitals target specific areas for improvement."

In addition to sponsoring the PSO, the Patient Safety Institute provides evidence-based risk assessment tools and root-cause analysis.

Detailed checklists and resources help providers put best practice data into action, address risk factors and create a culture of safety in healthcare delivery.

For the full list of designated PSOs, including MagMutual Patient Safety Institute, visit http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/.

About MagMutual
Founded in 1982, Atlanta-based MagMutual is a leading provider of medical liability insurance and practice-improving patient safety resources for physicians and hospitals. It is the fifth largest policyholder owned and led mutual insurer in the country. The company is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best. Insurance products and services are issued and underwritten by MAG Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates. For more information, visit www.MagMutual.com

SOURCE MagMutual