Finally in 2005, the US Congress passed the long-debated Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, establishing a federal reporting database. Hospitals reports of serious patient harm are voluntary, collected by patient safety organizations under contract to analyze errors and recommend improvements.
The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, enacted in 2005, created a federal system for collecting data on patient safety incidents. Hospitals voluntarily report these incidents to organizations that analyze the data and suggest ways to improve patient care.