Patient Safety Surveillance & Improvement System

The Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System (PSSIS) was created for the purpose of improving patient safety, eliminating adverse events in Vermont hospitals, and supporting and facilitating quality improvement efforts by hospitals. The Vermont Department of Health is charged by statute to operate the PSSIS, and contracts with the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC) to administer the System.

Reporting Forms:

According to State statute (and the PSSIS Rule), each Vermont hospital must:

1. Establish internal policies and procedures to identify, track and analyze all adverse events and near misses

2. Report to the Patient Safety Surveillance and Improvement System incidences of any of the National Quality Forum's serious reportable events, and for each event:

   • Conduct an appropriate causal analysis (and file with the PSSIS)

   • Develop and implement a corrective action plan (and file with the PSSIS)

3. Report any incidence of an intentional unsafe acts (defined in the PSSIS Final Rule)

4. Develop Disclosure policies and procedures delineating when and how to provide and document disclosure

5. Cooperate with periodic on-site monitoring visits