Government
Wisconsin passes medical error tracking bill
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 27, 2006
The Wisconsin Legislature in March approved a bill that would allow hospitals to track medical errors confidentially and to perform other quality improvement activities without being subject to civil liability. The measure, however, allows patients to have access to medical records if they are suing for an injury potentially caused by medical negligence.
"This bill will allow providers to share information on quality and patient safety issues to help establish best practices," said Laura Leitch, general counsel for the Wisconsin Hospital Assn., which co-wrote the measure.
The Wisconsin Medical Society said it supported the bill because it would encourage peer review. But the measure could be improved to ensure physicians also have access to the information, said Mark Grapentine, WMS senior vice president of government relations.
At press time, Gov. Jim Doyle had not indicated whether he would sign the legislation.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/03/27/gvbf0327.htm.
