You Are Here: PSO Home > Provisions in the Affordable Care Act that Relate to PSOs and Reducing Unnecessary Readmissions

Provisions in the Affordable Care Act that Relate to Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) and Reducing Unnecessary Readmissions

The following section of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) specifies the PSO program's role in helping to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions. To read the full text of the ACA, go to: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/html/PLAW-111publ148.htm

SEC. 399KK. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS WITH A HIGH SEVERITY ADJUSTED READMISSION RATE.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.-- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall make available a program for eligible hospitals to improve their readmission rates through the use of patient safety (as defined in section 921(4)).
            (2) Eligible hospital defined.--In this subsection, the term `eligible hospital' means a hospital that the Secretary determines has a high rate of risk-adjusted readmissions for the conditions described in section 1886(q)(8)(A) of the Social Security Act and has not taken appropriate steps to reduce such readmissions and improve patient safety, as evidenced through historically high rates of readmissions as determined by the Secretary.
            (3) Risk adjustment.--The Secretary shall utilize appropriate risk-adjustment measures to determine eligible hospitals.

(b) Report to the Secretary.--As determined appropriate by the Secretary, eligible hospitals and patient safety organizations working with those hospitals shall report to the Secretary on the processes employed by the hospital to improve readmission rates and the impact of such processes on readmission rates.''

Current as of March 2012

Internet Citation:

Provisions in the Affordable Care Act that Relate to PSOs and Reducing Unnecessary Readmissions. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/readmin/psoaca.htm