FARRELL

U.S. Rep. Phil English, Erie, R-21st District, outlined legislation Friday that he said could reduce medical errors, the eighth-leading cause of death among Americans.

English -- a member of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and one of the co-sponsors of the bill -- told a group of medical professionals at UPMC Horizon, Farrell, that the legislation would call on hospitals, doctors and nursing homes to voluntarily report medical errors to a Patient Safety Organization.

English said there likely would be at least one such organization in every state, and its primary function would be to "give feedback to health-care providers on what went wrong so mistakes can be prevented in the future."

"With increased reporting," English said, "we can target the causes of health system errors, improve systems of care and prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths."

Health system errors result in 98,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries a year, according to a 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine. Mistakes in hospitals alone cost between $17 billion and $29 billion annually, the report added.

"Reporting to the (organizations) would be voluntary and confidential so that reporting adverse events would not increase unwarranted litigation," English said.

Health-care providers would not be penalized for not reporting errors, English added.

English said the information could not be used in civil, criminal or administrative action -- and those who violate the confidentiality requirement could face a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail. Patients would continue to retain their current rights to sue for medical malpractice, English said.

The Patient Safety Organizations would be governed by an advisory board and overseen by the secretary of Health and Human Services, English said. The secretary would publish voluntary, national standards to improve health care, he added.

English said he hopes that the bill will be introduced in Congress later this year.