National Quality Forum Releases Updated List of Serious Reportable Events - June 21, 2011

On June 13, the National Quality Forum (NQF) announced it was approving a list of 29 serious reportable events. The list includes four new events:

• death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in low-risk pregnancies
• patient death or serious injury due to irretrievable loss of an irreplaceable biological specimen
• patient death or serious injury due to failure to follow up or communicate laboratory, pathology or radiology test results
• death or serious injury of a patient or staff member due to introduction of a metallic object in the MRI area.

The list applies to hospital care and three new settings: office-based practices, ambulatory surgery centers and skilled nursing facilities. Interested parties may comment and submit requests for reconsideration of any of the serious reportable events by July 12.