Amendment ID: S3116-6

Amendment 6

Technical Changes to the Betsy Lehman Center's Enabling Statute

Ms. Creem and Mr. Lewis move that the proposed new draft be amended by adding the following 2 sections:-

SECTION X. Section 15 of chapter 12C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

“(b) There shall be established within the center the Betsy Lehman center for patient safety and medical error reduction. The purpose of the Lehman center shall be to serve as a clearinghouse for the development, evaluation and dissemination, including, but not limited to, the sponsorship of training and education programs, of best practices for patient safety and medical error reduction. The Lehman center shall: (1) coordinate the efforts of state agencies engaged in the regulation, contracting or delivery of health care and those individuals or institutions licensed by the commonwealth to provide health care to meet their responsibilities for patient safety and medical error reduction; (2) convene all such entities, consumers, and others with experience and expertise in patient safety to develop and implement a statewide plan for improving patient safety for patients and the health care workforce across the continuum of care. The Lehman center shall coordinate state participation in any appropriate state or federal reports or data collection efforts relative to patient safety and medical error reduction. The Lehman center shall analyze available data, research and reports for information that would improve education and training programs that promote patient safety. The Lehman center shall evaluate approaches for monitoring and improving the performance of the health care system through enhanced patient safety data resources."

SECTION X. Said section 15 of said chapter 12C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (h) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 subsections:-

"(h) The Lehman center shall seek federal and foundation support to supplement state resources to carry out the Lehman center's patient safety and medical error reduction goals. The Lehman center may establish a trust fund that is structured to receive, maintain, and spend federal and foundation grants in furtherance of its responsibilities under this section and, to such extent, the director of the Lehman center shall have the powers provided in section 6 of chapter 6A.

(i) The Lehman center shall report annually to the joint committee on health care financing regarding the progress made in improving patient safety and medical error reduction."