New System for Patients to Report Medical Mistakes Concerns Lawmakers

In response to an article from the New York Times on a proposed new program that would allow patients to report on medical errors by health care providers to the federal government, a handful of physician lawmakers sent a letter to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Carolyn Clancy, M.D.s  registering concerns and posing a number of questions about the proposed policy. 

The letter was signed by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John Boozman (R-AR) and Representatives Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ron Paul (R-TX), Phil Gingrey (R-GA), Paul Broun (R-GA), John Fleming (R-LA) and Phil Roe (R-TN).

Among other concerns, lawmakers point out that “many patients do not have the medical knowledge to accurately determine when an adverse medical event occurs.”