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HF254 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
LOHSE
Last action
2025-02-06
Official status
Introduced, referred to Health and Human Services. H.J. 260 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-06 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, referred to Health and Human Services. H.J. 260 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to the reporting of serious reportable events, and providing penalties.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
House

File

254

-

Introduced

HOUSE

FILE

254

BY

LOHSE

(COMPANION

TO

SF

48

BY

LOFGREN)

A

BILL

FOR

An

Act

relating

to

the

reporting

of

serious

reportable

events,

1

and

providing

penalties.

2

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

3

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Section

1.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.1

Definitions.

1

As

used

in

this

chapter,

unless

the

context

otherwise

2

requires:

3

1.

“Department”

means

the

department

of

inspections,

4

appeals,

and

licensing.

5

2.

“Director”

means

the

director

of

inspections,

appeals,

6

and

licensing,

or

the

director’s

designee.

7

3.

“Facility”

means

a

hospital

as

defined

in

section

135B.1,

8

an

ambulatory

surgical

center

as

defined

in

section

135R.1,

or

9

a

pregnancy

resource

center.

10

4.

“Health

care

professional”

means

an

individual

licensed

11

under

chapter

148

to

practice

medicine

and

surgery

or

12

osteopathic

medicine

and

surgery,

a

physician

assistant

13

licensed

under

chapter

148C,

a

podiatrist

licensed

under

14

chapter

149,

an

advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner

licensed

15

under

chapter

152,

an

advanced

practice

registered

nurse

under

16

chapter

152E,

or

a

pharmacist

licensed

under

chapter

155A.

17

5.

“Pregnancy

resource

center”

means

a

nonprofit

entity

18

that

provides

pregnancy

support

services

as

defined

in

section

19

217.41C.

20

6.

“Serious

injury”

means

any

of

the

following:

21

a.

A

physical

or

mental

impairment

that

substantially

limits

22

one

or

more

of

the

major

life

activities

of

an

individual

or

a

23

loss

of

bodily

function,

if

the

impairment

or

loss

lasts

more

24

than

seven

days

or

is

still

present

at

the

time

of

discharge

25

from

an

inpatient

health

care

facility.

26

b.

The

loss

of

a

body

part.

27

7.

“Surgery

or

other

invasive

procedure”

includes

the

28

treatment

of

disease,

injury,

or

deformity

by

manual

or

29

operative

methods,

including

invasive

testing.

30

Sec.

2.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.2

Facility

reporting

31

requirements.

32

1.

a.

Each

facility

shall

report

to

the

director

the

33

occurrence

of

an

applicable

serious

reportable

event

described

34

in

this

section

as

soon

as

is

reasonably

and

practicably

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possible,

but

no

later

than

fifteen

working

days

after

1

discovery

of

the

event.

2

b.

The

report

shall

be

filed

in

a

format

specified

by

3

the

director

and

shall

identify

the

facility

but

shall

not

4

include

any

identifying

information

for

any

of

the

health

care

5

professionals,

facility

employees,

or

patients

involved.

6

c.

The

director

may

consult

with

experts

and

organizations

7

familiar

with

patient

safety

when

developing

the

format

for

8

reporting

and

in

further

defining

serious

reportable

events

in

9

order

to

be

consistent

with

industry

standards.

10

2.

Serious

reportable

events

under

this

section

include

all

11

of

the

following:

12

a.

Surgical

events

including

all

of

the

following:

13

(1)

Surgery

or

other

invasive

procedure

performed

on

a

wrong

14

body

part

that

is

inconsistent

with

the

documented

informed

15

consent

for

that

patient.

Serious

reportable

events

under

this

16

subparagraph

do

not

include

situations

requiring

prompt

action

17

that

occur

in

the

course

of

surgery

or

situations

whose

urgency

18

precludes

obtaining

informed

consent.

19

(2)

Surgery

or

other

invasive

procedure

performed

on

the

20

wrong

patient.

21

(3)

The

wrong

surgery

or

other

invasive

procedure

performed

22

on

a

patient

that

is

inconsistent

with

the

documented

informed

23

consent

for

that

patient.

Serious

reportable

events

under

this

24

subparagraph

do

not

include

situations

requiring

prompt

action

25

that

occur

in

the

course

of

surgery

or

situations

whose

urgency

26

precludes

obtaining

informed

consent.

27

(4)

Retention

of

a

foreign

object

in

a

patient

after

surgery

28

or

other

invasive

procedure,

excluding

objects

intentionally

29

implanted

as

part

of

a

planned

intervention

and

objects

present

30

prior

to

surgery

that

are

intentionally

retained.

31

(5)

Death

during

or

immediately

after

surgery

or

other

32

invasive

procedure

of

a

normal,

healthy

patient

who

has

no

33

organic,

physiologic,

biochemical,

or

psychiatric

disturbance

34

and

for

whom

the

pathologic

processes

for

which

the

operation

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is

to

be

performed

are

localized

and

do

not

entail

a

systemic

1

disturbance.

2

b.

Product

or

device

events

including

all

of

the

following:

3

(1)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

the

4

use

of

contaminated

drugs,

devices,

or

biologics

provided

by

5

the

facility

when

the

contamination

is

the

result

of

generally

6

detectable

contaminants

in

drugs,

devices,

or

biologics

7

regardless

of

the

source

of

the

contamination

or

the

product.

8

(2)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

the

9

use

or

function

of

a

device

in

patient

care

in

which

the

device

10

is

used

or

functions

other

than

as

intended.

“Device”

includes

11

but

is

not

limited

to

catheters,

drains,

and

other

specialized

12

tubes,

infusion

pumps,

and

ventilators.

13

(3)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

14

intravascular

air

embolism

that

occurs

while

being

cared

for

15

in

a

facility,

excluding

deaths

associated

with

neurosurgical

16

procedures

known

to

present

a

high

risk

of

intravascular

air

17

embolism.

18

c.

Patient

protection

events

including

all

of

the

following:

19

(1)

Discharge

to

the

wrong

person

of

a

patient

of

any

age

20

who

does

not

have

decision-making

capacity.

21

(2)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

a

22

patient

disappearance,

excluding

events

involving

adults

who

23

have

decision-making

capacity.

24

(3)

Suicide,

attempted

suicide

resulting

in

serious

injury,

25

or

self-harm

of

a

patient

resulting

in

serious

injury

or

death

26

of

the

patient

while

being

cared

for

in

a

facility

due

to

the

27

patient’s

actions

after

admission

to

the

facility,

excluding

28

the

death

of

a

patient

resulting

from

self-inflicted

injuries

29

that

were

the

reason

for

admission

to

the

facility.

30

d.

Care

management

events

including

all

of

the

following:

31

(1)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

a

32

medication

error

including

but

not

limited

to

errors

involving

33

the

wrong

drug,

the

wrong

dose,

the

wrong

patient,

the

wrong

34

time,

the

wrong

rate,

the

wrong

preparation,

or

the

wrong

route

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of

administration,

excluding

reasonable

differences

in

clinical

1

judgment

on

drug

selection

and

dose.

2

(2)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

3

unsafe

administration

of

blood

or

blood

products.

4

(3)

Maternal

death

or

serious

injury

associated

with

labor

5

or

delivery

in

a

low-risk

pregnancy

while

being

cared

for

6

in

a

facility,

including

events

that

occur

within

forty-two

7

calendar

days

postdelivery

and

excluding

deaths

from

pulmonary

8

or

amniotic

fluid

embolism,

acute

fatty

liver

of

pregnancy,

or

9

cardiomyopathy.

10

(4)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

neonate

associated

with

11

labor

or

delivery

in

a

low-risk

pregnancy.

12

(5)

Stage

3

or

4

or

unstageable

ulcers

acquired

after

13

admission

to

a

facility,

excluding

progression

from

stage

2

to

14

stage

3

if

stage

2

was

recognized

upon

admission.

15

(6)

Artificial

insemination

with

the

wrong

donor

sperm

or

16

wrong

egg.

17

(7)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

a

18

fall

while

being

cared

for

in

a

facility.

19

(8)

The

irretrievable

loss

of

an

irreplaceable

biological

20

specimen.

21

(9)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

resulting

from

the

22

failure

to

follow

up

or

communicate

laboratory,

pathology,

or

23

radiology

test

results.

24

e.

Environmental

events

including

all

of

the

following:

25

(1)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

26

with

an

electric

shock

while

being

cared

for

in

a

facility,

27

excluding

events

involving

planned

treatments

such

as

electric

28

countershock.

29

(2)

Any

incident

in

which

a

line

designated

for

oxygen

or

30

other

gas

to

be

delivered

to

a

patient

contains

the

wrong

gas

31

or

is

contaminated

by

toxic

substances.

32

(3)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

33

a

burn

incurred

from

any

source

while

being

cared

for

in

a

34

facility.

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(4)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

associated

with

the

1

use

or

lack

of

restraints

or

bedrails

while

being

cared

for

in

2

a

facility.

3

f.

Potential

criminal

events

including

all

of

the

following:

4

(1)

Any

instance

of

care

ordered

by

or

provided

by

someone

5

impersonating

a

health

care

professional.

6

(2)

Abduction

of

a

patient

of

any

age.

7

(3)

Sexual

assault

on

a

patient

within

or

on

the

grounds

of

8

a

facility.

9

(4)

Death

or

serious

injury

of

a

patient

or

staff

member

10

resulting

from

a

physical

assault

that

occurs

within

or

on

the

11

grounds

of

a

facility.

12

g.

Radiologic

events

including

death

or

serious

injury

of

a

13

patient

associated

with

the

introduction

of

a

metallic

object

14

into

the

magnetic

resonance

imaging.

15

Sec.

3.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.3

Root

cause

analysis

and

16

corrective

action

plan.

17

1.

Following

the

occurrence

of

a

serious

reportable

event

as

18

specified

under

section

135S.2,

a

facility

shall

conduct

a

root

19

cause

analysis

of

the

event.

20

2.

Following

the

analysis,

the

facility

shall

do

one

of

the

21

following:

22

a.

Implement

a

corrective

action

plan

to

address

the

23

findings

of

the

analysis.

24

b.

Report

to

the

director

any

reasons

for

not

taking

25

corrective

action.

26

3.

If

the

root

cause

analysis

and

the

implementation

of

a

27

corrective

action

plan

are

already

completed

at

the

time

an

28

event

is

required

to

be

reported,

the

findings

of

the

analysis

29

and

the

corrective

action

plan

shall

be

included

in

the

report

30

of

the

event.

31

4.

If

the

root

cause

analysis

is

completed,

but

32

implementation

of

a

corrective

action

plan

is

not

completed

at

33

the

time

an

event

is

required

to

be

reported,

the

findings

of

34

the

root

cause

analysis

and

a

copy

of

the

proposed

corrective

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action

plan

shall

be

filed

with

the

director

within

sixty

1

working

days

of

the

event.

2

Sec.

4.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.4

Electronic

reporting.

3

1.

The

director

shall

design

the

serious

reportable

event

4

reporting

system

to

allow

a

facility

to

file

the

reports

5

required

under

this

chapter

by

electronic

means.

6

2.

The

director

shall

encourage

a

facility

to

use

the

7

electronic

filing

option

when

that

option

is

feasible

for

the

8

facility.

9

Sec.

5.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.5

Relation

to

other

law

and

10

duties

——

confidentiality

of

data.

11

1.

a.

Serious

reportable

events

described

under

section

12

135S.2

do

not

constitute

child

abuse

as

defined

in

section

13

232.68

or

dependent

adult

abuse

as

defined

in

section

235B.2,

14

and

are

excluded

from

the

reporting

requirements

of

chapters

15

232

and

235B,

if

the

facility

makes

a

determination

within

16

twenty-four

hours

of

discovery

of

the

serious

reportable

event

17

that

this

chapter

is

applicable

and

the

facility

files

the

18

reports

required

under

this

chapter

in

a

timely

fashion.

19

b.

A

facility

that

determines

a

serious

reportable

event

20

described

in

section

135S.2

has

occurred

shall

inform

persons

21

within

the

facility

who

are

mandatory

reporters

of

child

abuse

22

under

section

232.69

or

dependent

adult

abuse

under

section

23

235B.3.

A

mandatory

reporter

otherwise

required

to

report

24

child

abuse

or

dependent

adult

abuse

is

relieved

of

the

duty

to

25

report

an

event

the

facility

determines

to

be

reportable

under

26

section

135S.2.

27

c.

The

protections

and

immunities

applicable

to

reporting

28

of

child

abuse

under

section

232.73

and

dependent

adult

abuse

29

under

section

235B.3

are

not

affected

by

this

section.

30

2.

a.

If

a

serious

reportable

event

is

reported

by

a

31

facility

in

compliance

with

this

chapter,

no

other

state

agency

32

or

licensing

board

is

required

to

conduct

an

investigation

of

33

or

obtain

or

create

investigative

data

based

upon

other

reports

34

of

the

same

event.

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b.

If

a

facility

is

required

to

report

a

serious

reportable

1

event

pursuant

to

another

state

law

that

meets

the

requirements

2

for

compliance

with

this

chapter,

the

department

shall

3

recognize

the

report

as

compliance

with

this

chapter

in

lieu

of

4

a

report

made

under

this

chapter

if

the

department

is

provided

5

a

copy

of

the

report.

6

3.

a.

Data

contained

in

the

following

records

are

7

confidential

records

under

section

22.7:

8

(1)

Reports

of

serious

reportable

events

made

to

the

9

director

by

a

professional

licensing

board.

10

(2)

Serious

reportable

event

reports,

findings

of

root

11

cause

analyses,

and

corrective

action

plans

filed

by

a

facility

12

under

this

chapter.

13

(3)

Records

created

or

obtained

by

the

director

in

reviewing

14

or

investigating

the

reports,

findings,

and

corrective

action

15

plans

under

subparagraph

(2).

16

b.

For

purposes

of

this

subsection,

the

reporting

facility

17

is

the

subject

of

the

report

or

data

under

chapter

22.

18

Sec.

6.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.6

Director

duties

and

19

responsibilities

——

penalties.

20

1.

The

director

shall

establish

a

serious

reportable

event

21

reporting

system

designed

to

facilitate

quality

improvement

22

in

the

health

care

system.

The

reporting

system

shall

not

23

be

designed

to

punish

errors

by

health

care

professionals

or

24

facility

employees.

25

2.

The

reporting

system

shall

require

and

consist

of

all

of

26

the

following:

27

a.

Mandatory

reporting

by

facilities

of

the

applicable

28

serious

reportable

events

described

in

section

135S.2.

29

b.

Mandatory

completion

of

a

root

cause

analysis

and

a

30

corrective

action

plan

by

the

facility,

and

the

reporting

of

31

the

findings

of

the

analysis

and

the

plan

to

the

director,

or

32

the

reporting

of

reasons

for

not

taking

corrective

action.

33

c.

Analysis

of

reported

information

by

the

director

to

34

determine

patterns

of

systemic

failure

in

the

health

care

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system

and

successful

methods

to

correct

the

failures.

1

d.

Sanctions

against

facilities

for

failure

to

comply

with

2

reporting

system

requirements.

3

e.

Communication

from

the

director

to

facilities,

health

4

care

consumers,

and

the

public

to

maximize

the

use

of

the

5

reporting

system

to

improve

health

care

quality.

6

3.

In

establishing

the

serious

reportable

event

reporting

7

system,

the

director

shall

not

select

from

or

between

alternate

8

acceptable

medical

practices.

9

4.

The

director

shall

do

all

of

the

following:

10

a.

Analyze

serious

reportable

event

reports,

corrective

11

action

plans,

and

findings

of

the

root

cause

analyses

to

12

determine

patterns

of

systemic

failure

in

the

health

care

13

system

and

successful

methods

to

correct

these

failures.

14

b.

Communicate

to

individual

facilities

the

director’s

15

conclusions,

if

any,

regarding

a

serious

reportable

event

16

reported

by

a

facility.

17

c.

Communicate

with

relevant

health

care

facilities

any

18

recommendations

for

corrective

action

resulting

from

the

19

director’s

analysis

of

submissions

from

facilities.

20

d.

Publish

an

annual

report,

available

on

the

internet

site

21

of

the

department

that

does

all

of

the

following:

22

(1)

Describes,

by

facility

type,

serious

reportable

events

23

reported

by

facilities.

24

(2)

Outlines,

in

aggregate,

the

findings

of

root

cause

25

analyses

and

corrective

action

plans.

26

(3)

Makes

recommendations

for

modifications

of

state

health

27

care

operations.

28

5.

a.

The

director

shall

take

steps

necessary

to

determine

29

if

required

serious

reportable

event

reports,

the

findings

of

30

the

root

cause

analyses,

and

corrective

action

plans

are

filed

31

in

a

timely

manner.

32

b.

The

director

may

do

any

of

the

following:

33

(1)

Sanction

a

facility

for

failure

to

file

a

timely

34

serious

reportable

event

report,

conduct

a

root

cause

analysis,

35

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implement

a

corrective

action

plan,

or

provide

the

findings

of

1

a

root

cause

analysis

or

corrective

action

plan

in

a

timely

2

fashion.

3

(2)

Place

conditions

on

the

license

under

which

a

facility

4

operates

if

the

facility

fails

to

develop

and

implement

a

5

corrective

action

plan,

or

report

to

the

director

the

reason

a

6

corrective

action

is

not

needed.

7

6.

The

director

may

collaborate

with

the

department

of

8

health

and

human

services

to

administer

this

section.

9

Sec.

7.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.7

Reports

from

licensing

boards.

10

1.

The

board

of

medicine,

the

board

of

physician

assistants,

11

the

board

of

nursing,

the

board

of

pharmacy,

and

the

board

12

of

podiatry

shall

maintain

a

record

of

all

complaints

that

13

come

to

the

attention

of

the

respective

board

that

in

the

14

judgment

of

the

board

qualify

as

a

serious

reportable

event

15

under

section

135S.2.

Within

thirty

working

days

of

making

a

16

determination

that

an

event

qualifies

as

a

serious

reportable

17

event,

the

respective

board

shall

forward

a

report

of

the

event

18

to

the

director,

including

the

name

and

address

of

the

facility

19

involved,

the

date

of

the

event,

and

information

known

to

20

the

board

regarding

the

event.

The

report

shall

not

include

21

any

identifying

information

of

any

health

care

professional,

22

facility

employee,

or

patients

involved.

23

2.

The

director

shall

forward

a

report

received

under

24

subsection

1

to

the

facility

named

in

the

report.

25

3.

a.

The

facility

shall

determine

whether

the

event

26

has

been

previously

reported

under

this

chapter,

and

shall

27

notify

the

director

as

to

whether

the

event

has

been

previously

28

reported.

29

b.

If

the

event

has

not

been

previously

reported,

the

30

facility

shall

make

a

determination

whether

the

event

is

31

reportable

under

this

chapter.

If

the

facility

determines

the

32

event

is

reportable,

the

date

of

discovery

of

the

event

for

33

purposes

of

this

chapter

shall

be

as

follows:

34

(1)

If

the

director

determines

the

facility

knew

or

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reasonably

should

have

known

about

the

occurrence

of

the

event,

1

the

date

the

event

occurred

shall

be

the

date

of

discovery

2

of

the

event

and

the

facility

shall

be

considered

out

of

3

compliance

with

this

chapter.

4

(2)

If

the

director

determines

the

facility

did

not

know

5

about

the

occurrence

of

the

event,

the

date

the

facility

6

receives

the

report

from

the

director

shall

be

the

date

of

7

discovery

of

the

event.

8

c.

If

the

facility

determines

the

event

was

not

reportable

9

under

this

chapter,

the

facility

shall

notify

the

director

of

10

that

determination.

11

Sec.

8.

NEW

SECTION

.

135S.8

Interstate

coordination

and

12

reports.

13

1.

The

director

shall

report

the

list

of

serious

reportable

14

events

described

under

section

135S.2

to

the

national

quality

15

forum,

and

through

the

national

quality

forum

to

other

states.

16

2.

The

director

shall

monitor

communications

by

the

17

national

quality

forum

of

amendments

to

the

list

of

serious

18

reportable

events

maintained

by

the

forum

and

shall

report

any

19

modification

to

the

list

to

the

general

assembly.

20

3.

The

director

shall

also

monitor

efforts

in

other

states

21

to

establish

a

list

of

serious

reportable

events

and

shall

22

make

recommendations

to

the

general

assembly

as

necessary

for

23

modifications

to

the

list

of

serious

reportable

events

under

24

this

chapter

to

maximize

uniformity

with

the

list

maintained

by

25

the

national

quality

forum

and

by

other

states.

26

EXPLANATION

27

The

inclusion

of

this

explanation

does

not

constitute

agreement

with

28

the

explanation’s

substance

by

the

members

of

the

general

assembly.

29

This

bill

relates

to

the

reporting

of

serious

reportable

30

events

by

facilities

including

hospitals,

ambulatory

surgical

31

centers,

and

pregnancy

resource

centers.

32

The

bill

requires

each

facility

to

report

to

the

director

33

(director)

of

the

department

of

inspections,

appeals,

and

34

licensing

(DIAL)

the

occurrence

of

an

applicable

serious

35

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reportable

event

described

in

the

bill

as

soon

as

is

reasonably

1

and

practicably

possible,

but

no

later

than

15

working

days

2

after

discovery

of

the

event.

Reports

shall

be

filed

in

a

3

format

specified

by

the

director

of

DIAL

and

shall

identify

the

4

facility

but

shall

not

include

any

identifying

information

for

5

any

of

the

health

care

professionals,

facility

employees,

or

6

patients

involved.

7

Serious

reportable

events

include

surgical

events,

product

8

or

device

events,

patient

protection

events,

care

management

9

events,

environmental

events,

potential

criminal

events,

and

10

radiologic

events

detailed

in

the

bill.

11

The

bill

requires

that

following

the

occurrence

of

a

serious

12

reportable

event,

a

facility

shall

conduct

a

root

cause

13

analysis

of

the

event

and

shall

either

implement

a

corrective

14

action

plan

or

report

to

the

director

any

reasons

for

not

15

taking

corrective

action.

16

The

director

shall

design

the

serious

reportable

event

17

reporting

system

to

allow

a

facility

to

file

the

required

18

reports

by

electronic

means

and

shall

encourage

a

facility

to

19

use

the

electronic

filing

option

when

that

option

is

feasible

20

for

the

facility.

21

The

bill

provides

that

serious

reportable

events

under

the

22

bill

do

not

constitute

child

abuse

or

dependent

adult

abuse

and

23

are

excluded

from

the

child

abuse

and

dependent

adult

abuse

24

reporting

requirements,

if

the

facility

makes

a

determination

25

within

24

hours

of

discovery

of

the

serious

reportable

event

26

and

files

the

reports

required

in

a

timely

fashion.

27

A

facility

that

determines

a

serious

reportable

event

28

has

occurred

must

inform

persons

within

the

facility

who

are

29

mandatory

reporters

of

child

abuse

or

dependent

adult

abuse.

30

A

mandatory

reporter

otherwise

required

to

report

child

abuse

31

or

dependent

adult

abuse

is

relieved

of

the

duty

to

report

32

an

event

the

facility

determines

to

be

a

serious

reportable

33

event.

The

bill

does

not

affect

the

protections

and

immunities

34

applicable

to

reporting

of

child

abuse

and

dependent

adult

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abuse.

1

Additionally,

if

a

serious

reportable

event

is

reported

2

by

a

facility,

no

other

state

agency

or

licensing

board

is

3

required

to

conduct

an

investigation

of

or

obtain

or

create

4

investigative

data

based

upon

other

reports

of

the

same

event.

5

Also,

if

a

facility

is

required

to

report

a

serious

reportable

6

event

pursuant

to

another

state

law

that

meets

the

requirements

7

for

compliance

with

the

bill,

DIAL

shall

recognize

the

report

8

in

lieu

of

a

report

made

under

the

bill

if

DIAL

is

provided

a

9

copy

of

the

report.

10

Reports

of

serious

reportable

events

made

to

the

director

11

by

a

professional

licensing

board;

serious

reportable

event

12

reports,

findings

of

root

cause

analyses,

and

corrective

action

13

plans

filed

by

a

facility

under

the

bill;

and

records

created

14

or

obtained

by

the

director

in

reviewing

or

investigating

the

15

reports,

findings,

and

corrective

action

plans

are

confidential

16

records

under

Code

section

22.7.

17

The

director

shall

establish

a

serious

reportable

event

18

reporting

system

requiring

certain

information

as

detailed

in

19

the

bill.

20

The

director

shall

take

action

relating

to

serious

21

reportable

events

as

described

in

the

bill.

22

The

director

may

collaborate

with

the

department

of

health

23

and

human

services

to

administer

the

director’s

duties

and

24

responsibilities.

25

The

bill

requires

the

boards

of

medicine,

physician

26

assistants,

nursing,

pharmacy,

and

podiatry

to

maintain

27

a

record

of

complaints

that

come

to

the

attention

of

the

28

respective

board

and

are

determined

to

qualify

as

serious

29

reportable

events.

Within

30

working

days

of

making

a

30

determination

that

an

event

qualifies

as

a

serious

reportable

31

event,

the

respective

board

shall

forward

a

report

of

the

event

32

to

the

director.

The

director

shall

then

forward

the

report

33

to

the

facility

named

in

the

report

and

the

facility

shall

34

determine

whether

the

event

has

been

previously

reported

and

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shall

notify

the

director.

1

The

bill

requires

the

director

to

report

the

list

of

serious

2

reportable

events

to

the

national

quality

forum.

The

director

3

shall

monitor

amendments

to

the

national

quality

forum’s

4

list

of

serious

reportable

events,

monitor

efforts

in

other

5

states,

and

report

any

modification

to

the

list

to

the

general

6

assembly.

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