The Joint Commission defines a sentinel event as: “an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof. Sentinel events are so named because they indicate the need for immediate investigation and response. This article defines a sentinel event, explains why sentinel events may occur, and describes ways to handle them. Many involve highly respected healthcare systems and practitioners. Sentinel events aren’t confined to substandard organizations.
Since then, studies show that medical errors are the eighth leading cause of death in this country, killing up to 195,000 Americans every year.ĭespite the hard work ongoing nationwide to analyze and reform healthcare systems and thus improve safety, severe errors or sentinel events still occur-and they can happen in any facility at any time. This is not a news bulletin these statistics were revealed nearly a decade ago by the Institute of Medicine in its seminal report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System. (e) Not be reported for a health facility if reporting the data would risk identifying a patient.Each year, medical errors result in 44,000 to 98,000 deaths in the United States. (d) Not identify a patient, provider of health care or other member of the staff of the health facility and (c) Use standard statistical methodology, including without limitation, risk-adjusted methodology when applicable, and include the description of the methodology and data limitations contained in the report (b) Be readily accessible and understandable by a member of the general public (a) Be presented in a manner that allows a person to view and compare the information for the health facilities The report prepared pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 1 must provide to the public information concerning each health facility which provided medical services and care in the immediately preceding calendar year and must: Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 239.0115, reports received pursuant to NRS 439.835 and subsection 1 of NRS 439.843 and any additional information requested by the Division pursuant to NRS 439.841 are confidential, not subject to subpoena or discovery and not subject to inspection by the general public.ģ. The Division shall maintain the confidentiality of the patient, the provider of health care or other member of the staff of the health facility identified in the reports submitted pursuant to NRS 439.835 when preparing the annual summary pursuant to this paragraph.Ģ. (d) Annually prepare a summary of the reports received pursuant to NRS 439.835 and provide a summary for inclusion on the Internet website maintained pursuant to NRS 439A.270. (c) Annually prepare a report of sentinel events reported pursuant to NRS 439.835 by a health facility, including, without limitation, the type of event, the number of events, the rate of occurrence of events, and the health facility which reported the event, and provide the report for inclusion on the Internet website maintained pursuant to NRS 439A.270 and (b) Ensure that such reports, and any additional documents created from such reports, are protected adequately from fire, theft, loss, destruction and other hazards and from unauthorized access (a) Collect and maintain reports received pursuant to NRS 439.835 and 439.843 and any additional information requested by the Division pursuant to NRS 439.841 NRS 439.840 Reports of sentinel events: Duties of Division confidentiality.
SENTINEL EVENTS ISO
SENTINEL EVENTS LICENSE
State of Nevada Healthcare License types now required by SB457 from the 2019 legislative session, and implemented as of 1/1/20, to report to the Sentinel Events Registry include the following: