Mich. Patient Safety Group to Hold Public Meeting

A coalition of 15 Michigan organizations that was asked to provide recommendations to Gov. Jennifer Granholm on how to improve patient safety and reduce health-care errors will hold a public meeting Thursday, April 28.

At the meeting, the State Commission on Patient Safety will discuss its process for compiling a report to the governor. The meeting will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Lyon Meadows facility, 53200 Grand River Ave., in New Hudson. A second public meeting will be held June 30 at the same time and place to review the commission’s preliminary recommendations to the governor.

The commission was created by Public Act 119 of 2004 which authorized the governor to designate an existing organization to act as this body. Granholm, a Democrat, asked the Michigan Health and Safety Coalition to serve as the commission.

The coalition is a group of 15 Michigan organizations that includes health plans, major employers, health professional associations and hospital, physician, consumer and labor organizations. Its mission is to help improve health care quality and patient safety across all care settings. The coalition agreed to serve as the commission, and held three public hearings last November in Lansing, Southfield and Traverse City seeking ideas and recommendations on how to improve patient safety.

At the April 28 meeting, the commission will describe the process used to obtain and review public testimony, and discuss how the commission will be examining the compiled recommendations and deciding what to include in its report to the governor.

In addition to the testimony received at the public hearings, the commission also has been reviewing information on other patient safety initiatives. The review extends to a study of the causes of health care errors occurring in the continuum of care, including health facilities and in private practices.

The commission will issue a final report containing its findings and recommendations on patient safety to the governor by November of this year. The Michigan Department of Community Health is assisting the commission with the report.

The Michigan Health and Safety Coalition was formed in 2000. Members include: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., United Auto Workers, Michigan Association of Health Plans, Michigan Consumer Health Care Coalition, Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Education Special Services Association, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Michigan Osteopathic Association, MPRO, Michigan Pharmacists Association, Michigan State Medical Society.

Topics Michigan