Patient Safety Reporting System

In February 2005, the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) established the Patient Safety Reporting System (PSRS) in compliance with the Patient Safety Act N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.23-12.25.  The statute was designed to improve patient safety in all NJ healthcare facilities by creating a confidential reporting system that allows healthcare facilities to report adverse events and associated root cause analyses (RCAs) to the DOH. The statute can be accessed through the following link:  https://www.nj.gov/health/legal/statutes.

The system is intended to foster a non-punitive culture focusing on improving processes rather than assigning blame. To interpret and implement the Patient Safety Act, the DOH adopted N.J.A.C. 8:43E-10 in August 2008. The rules can be accessed through the following link: https://www.nj.gov/health/legal/rules/.

Regarding confidentiality and restrictions on disclosure and discoverability see N.J.A.C. 8:43E-10.9 Confidentiality protections and restrictions on disclosure and use by following the six steps to access the most recent regulations in Lexis Nexis. See § 8:43E-10.9 (a) - (c) regarding discoverability.

The following facilities are currently required to report serious preventable adverse events to DOH:

All Licensed:

  • General Acute Care Hospitals
  • Comprehensive Rehabilitation Hospitals
  • Psychiatric Hospitals
  • Special Hospitals and
  • Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)
  • End Stage Renal Disease Facilities

Serious preventable adverse events and associated RCAs are reported electronically. RCAs are reviewed by DOH clinical staff who work collaboratively with healthcare facilities to identify the underlying causes and implement strategies to prevent similar events.

Annual Summary Reports

 

 

Last Reviewed: 10/25/2024