What is the PSRS?
The Patient Safety Reporting System (PSRS) is a program
developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) to discover and learn about issues related
to patient safety through a voluntary, confidential
reporting system. The PSRS invites everyone who works
in a healthcare facility to voluntarily report any
events or concerns related to patient safety.
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Does PSRS replace other internal reporting
systems?
The PSRS is available to act as a reporting system that is complementary to a medical facility's internal reporting or other reporting system. Additionally, this can serve as the primary system responsible for capturing close calls, events, patient safety concerns, and suggestions.
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Why is NASA involved in the Patient Safety Reporting
System program?
NASA has administered a similar and very successful program, the Aviation
Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for more than 30 years without ever violating
a reporter's confidentiality. NASA is an independent, respected research
organization that does not have a regulatory or enforcement interest. It
can therefore serve as an objective, trustworthy custodian of reports submitted
by hospital personnel. The ASRS has provided this guarantee to the aviation
community and over 850,000 reports without ever violating a reporter's confidentiality. NASA
can provide the same service to the medical community.
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What types of events could be reported to PSRS?
Use PSRS to report any safety-related issues, such
as:
- "Close Calls" - events or situations that could have resulted in accident, injury, or illness, but did not, either by chance or through timely intervention;
- Unexpected serious injury occurrences that involved a death, physical injury, or psychological injury of a patient or an employee;
- Lessons learned, safety ideas, or potential
safety situations
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Are there any type of events
that may not be reported?
Events such as criminal acts are not included
in the PSRS. The inclusion of other intentional
unsafe acts would depend on other state and federal
laws and are handled on a case by case basis with
the reporter.
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How does a facility or the system get feedback when someone files a report?
If the situation is deemed a serious one by our
medical safety analysts, PSRS will send out a system-wide
Patient Safety Bulletin (PSB) or For Your Information
Notice (FYI). The PSB or FYI will be distributed
without any source identification. Publications,
outreach, special reports and database information
will also be made available.
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If PSRS is confidential, why is the reporter's name required?
It may be necessary for the PSRS medical analyst to contact a reporter to clarify or obtain additional data for an accurate, detailed understanding of a report. Once this analysis is completed, the identification strip is removed, signed by the analyst and mailed to the reporter.
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Where can I find a PSRS Form?
Postage-paid PSRS Reporting forms will be made available in plastic holders at
convenient locations in your healthcare facility such as nurses' stations,
staff lounges, and other sites easily accessible to staff. If you find these
holders are empty, please contact the appropriate staff memeber in your facility
for more supplies.
Reporting forms also may be downloaded from this website. Find the Reporting Form button at the top left corner of the PSRS home page. Click on it for the page with the "Download the Reporting Form" link in the second box. Clicking on the link will bring up Acrobat Reader from Adobe. Follow instructions for downloading a free copy and the PSRS form will appear on your screen. Print the form, fill it in, affix a stamp and mail to PSRS.
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Will PSRS accept anonymous reports?
PSRS forms completed with contact information allow the PSRS medical analysts to communicate with reporters when further clarification and/or explanation of information stated in the reports are needed.
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