Patient Safety Organizations - Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-127o

Organizations may apply to the Department of Public Health (“department”) to receive designation as a Patient Safety Organization (“PSO”). PSOs are eligible for such designation if  (1) their primary mission is to improve patient safety; (2) they maintain a qualified staff; (3) they are not a health insurer’s component; and (4) they certify that their activities will not generate conflicts of interest with providers that send patient safety information to them.

Hospitals and outpatient surgical facilities must enter into contracts with at least one PSO. The contract must require the provider to log the type of information (e.g. reports, memoranda, analysis, etc.) sent to the PSO so that the department may verify the type of information sent. The department may not access the contents of the information sent by providers to PSOs. The log is not subject to disclosure, unless required by the Freedom of Information Act, and may not be used for other purposes.

PSOs may make patient safety recommendations to health care providers, the department and the Quality of Care Advisory Committee.

PSOs must maintain sufficient safeguards to ensure the security of patient safety information. Such information is confidential, is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act or discovery and may not be used by persons other than the provider or PSO. PSOs may disclose information in relation to their mission or pursuant to their contract with a provider, but must comply with HIPAA and other applicable state laws in order to disclose identifying information.