In order to improve the quality of health care provided, Indiana has basic patient safety laws.  Primarily, all hospitals are required to electronically report six major types of “reportable events” to the state’s Department of Health within 15 days of the event.1  The reportable events include such things as surgeries performed on the wrong patient or wrong body part, drug or device errors, medication errors, patient falls, and criminal incidents.2  Hospitals must also verbally report unusual occurrences and disasters, such as chemical poisoning or missing patients, to the Department within 24 hours.3

Further measures to enhance patient safety can be seen through the use of a patient safety data agency to collect and analyze patient safety data submitted to the agency by health care facilities, providers, or other individuals.4  A health care facility, health care provider or other individual may submit reports to the patient safety data agency of incidents include adverse drug reactions or hospital acquired infections.5  The patient safety data agency must notify the Department of Health of its findings, but may not provide the Department with patient identifying information.6  Any reports, records, or other materials submitted to the patient safety agency are confidential and privileged, and not subject to use in any judicial proceeding.  However, the patient safety agency may disclose patient safety or health care quality data, including information submitted by a health care facility or provider, as long as the information does not disclose the identity of the health care facility, provider or patient.7