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Patient Safety Organization Contacts

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) administers the provisions of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA) of 2005 and the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement final rule (Patient Safety Rule) dealing with Patient Safety Organization (PSO) operations.

Contact the AHRQ PSO Office for more information about the Patient Safety Rule, PSO listing process, listed PSOs, and other PSO operational issues.

PSO Office
Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850

Email: PSO@ahrq.hhs.gov

Telephone (toll free): 866-403-3697
Telephone (local): 301-427-1111

TTY (toll free): 866-438-7231
TTY (local): 301-427-1130

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

The Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Act and the Patient Safety Rule. The confidentiality provisions permit patient safety work product (PSWP) to be disclosed only in accordance with specific disclosure permissions (see 42 CFR 3.206). PSWP that contains patient-identifiable information is also subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules to the extent it includes protected health information as defined at 45 CFR 160.103.

Civil money penalties (CMPs) may be imposed by OCR for knowing or reckless impermissible disclosures of PSWP.

For additional information about OCR's role, the confidentiality protections, the PSWP confidentiality enforcement program, or how to file a complaint, please go to OCR's PSQIA Web page.

For information about the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and OCR's enforcement of these regulations, please go to OCR's HIPAA Web page.

Electronic Subscription Information

Patient Safety Organization E-mail Updates.