The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality hopes to develop, through the Department of Health and Human Services, a National Healthcare System Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety in partnership with healthcare systems, patients, families, caregivers, other federal agencies and stakeholders. AHRQ is requesting comments from the public on this initiative by Jan. 26.
The Action Alliance will welcome all types of healthcare systems, including public, not-for-profit and for-profit health systems; rural, suburban and urban systems; and systems focused on caring for diverse populations. The purpose is to support improvements across healthcare delivery settings, such as skilled nursing facilities, home care, hospitals and ambulatory care settings, as well as between settings of care. The initiative aims to protect the health and safety of caregivers and their patients, in reaction to the weaknesses and inequities discovered in healthcare during the pandemic.
Specifically, AHRQ is looking for input on the following:
- What can HHS bring to the Action Alliance in terms of coordination, alignment, tools, training and other non-financial resources to support the effectiveness of the Action Alliance in assisting healthcare delivery systems and others in advancing patient and healthcare worker safety?
- How can the voluntary Action Alliance most effectively support healthcare delivery systems and other stakeholders in advancing patient and workforce safety? Are there specific priorities for different types of systems or settings of care? What stakeholders should be part of the Action Alliance to make it most effective?
- What are other national patient and workforce safety initiatives that the Action Alliance should be aware of and how can the Action Alliance best collaborate, coordinate, and avoid duplication with them?
- How can the Action Alliance best support healthcare systems in advancing healthcare equity within their patient and workforce safety efforts, including through redesign of care delivery?
- Are there specific practices or innovations that healthcare delivery systems or others have implemented during or post-pandemic, including practices focused on populations that experience health disparities and individuals living in rural communities, that others could benefit from learning about?
- What are the main challenges healthcare delivery systems and others are facing in meeting their commitments to advancing patient and healthcare worker safety as they emerge from the pandemic? Are there challenges that are specific to different types of systems, settings of care, or populations of people?
Comments can be sent here.
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