PATIENTS FOR PATIENT SAFETY US
Request to our Champions, Strategic Partners, and Friends
- PFPS US seeks your help in generating Public Comments on next year’s rule for quality and performance reporting to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), particularly in support of proposed measures on:
- Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism
- Mandatory Reporting of Hospital Harm
- Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure
We also encourage you to comment on these CMQ Requests for Information about:
- Emergency Care Access and Timeliness
- Community-Onset Sepsis
- Revisions to the Birthing Friendly Hospital Designation
Please pass on this request to others in your networks. The window to file Public Comments closes on Tuesday, June 9th at 11:59 PM EDT.
Background: On April 14th, CMS published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register establishing the Inpatient hospital payment rates and quality measures that will be used by the Medicare Program in Federal Year 2027(FY 2027), which starts on October 1, 2026.
PFPS US is primarily concerned with measures that directly affect patient safety. See the button below for the Public Comment we will submit on patient safety issues, which is attached. Some of our comments are pretty technical, so we have drafted some simpler, Common-Sense talking points (button below).
PFPS US strongly encourages Patient Safety Champions and Strategic Partners to make your voices heard on these issues by filing your own Public Comment and spreading the word through your own networks. Every comment is counted, read, and considered by CMS before they finalize this Proposed Rule.
You can draft your own comment or borrow from the PFPS US Public Comment that our Champion Workgroup drafted or the Common Sense Talking Points. You have permission to cut and paste. Or you can file a comment that references the PFPS US Public Comment and state that you support our points as well.
Background materials:
- The CMS Proposed Rule is here.
- CMS Summary of the Proposed Rule is here.
- Public Comments filed by other people and organizations are here.
- PFPS US Public Comment (button below)
- PFPS US Common Sense Talking Points (button below)
Submitting a Public Comment Step by Step:
Step 1: Go to the Proposed Rule and click on Submit a Public Comment
Step 2: Type in your comment in this field, or just type in that your Public Comment is attached. You can attach a Word doc or a PDF later in the process.
In composing a Public Comment, it is good to start by identifying yourself and stating why you are motivated to make a Public Comment. Examples:
- My name is _________. I am from _________. I am writing because I experienced ____________. I support these provisions of the Proposed Rule because…
- My name is _________. I represent [name of organization or network]. Our mission is ________________. We support these provisions of the Proposed Rule because…
- My name is _________. I am a patient safety advocate and PFPS US Patient Safety Champion. I am writing because I support the PFPS US recommendations made in their Public Comment on this Proposed Rule. I support these provisions of the Proposed Rule because…
Step 3: You are asked, What is your comment about? and then offered a drop-down menu from which to choose a response. Interestingly, there is no choice on the list for patient safety or healthcare quality. We recommend selecting “Health Care Industry – PI015.”
Step 4: You have the option to attach your comment as a PDF file. This is your preference. Some people choose to type their comment; others choose to attach it.
Step 5: You have the option to enter your email. This is voluntary.
Step 6: You are asked to identify yourself as an individual, an organization, or anonymous. Choose one.
Step 7: Check the box and hit Submit your comment.
Thank you, thank you! The PFPS US Public Comment Work Group thanks you in advance for taking this opportunity to file a Public Comment. This is an important way for patient safety advocates to be heard. Please share this request with others in your organization or networks.
Remember, time is short. Public Comments are due by Tuesday, June 9th at 11:59 PM EDT!
Please download the respective documents from the buttons below.
PFPS US
Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) is a patient-led, non-profit organization of dedicated individuals and organizations united in the mission to enhance patient safety for all Americans.
MISSION
To unite patients, families, and stakeholders to improve diagnostic accuracy, advance patient safety, and eliminate health disparities through research, policy, advocacy, and technology.
VISION
A world in which no one is harmed in health care, and every patient receives safe and respectful care every time, everywhere.
What We Do
Advocacy and policy in healthcare are closely interconnected concepts that together shape how healthcare organizations function, how care is delivered and paid for, what medicines or devices can be used to treat patients, how patient privacy is protected, and how health is maintained and continuously improved.
We are committed to advancing research that centers patient and family experiences, particularly in areas where harm is most prevalent, such as diagnostic safety and the dismissal of patient concerns.
In the rapidly evolving field of health technology, we are at the forefront of advancing responsible AI in healthcare.
Together, these efforts reflect PFPS US’s integrated approach to achieving zero harm in healthcare, combining patient-driven advocacy, rigorous research and measures, policy leadership, and technological innovation to create a safer, more equitable system for all.
Did You Know...
Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Diagnostic errors cause death and disability in approximately 800,000 patients annually and costs the healthcare system up to 17% of all healthcare costs.
Medical and diagnostic errors disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
