SURGEONS GROUP SAYS CONGRESS NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE ON PATIENT SAFETY

CHICAGO—Today, Thomas R. Russell, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons, expressed deep regret at the Senate's failure to enact national patient safety legislation.

"It's been over a year since good legislation was passed overwhelmingly by the House, and another good bill was approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee without objection," Dr. Russell noted. "We've been working continuously since then with legislators, consumer groups, hospitals, accrediting organizations, and many others to accomplish an important goal that we all agree upon—it's hard to believe that any outstanding issues are irreconcilable," he said.

The American College of Surgeons is committed to improving surgical patient safety, Doctor Russell said, and has laid the groundwork for establishing its own Center for Patient Safety. But, he said, key systems and protections must be put in place in order for efforts such as the College's to reach their full potential. "There is much that we can and will do to improve patient safety, but we need certain tools to do the job well," Doctor Russell observed. "Congress needs to step up to the plate so that we can further honor our commitment to our patients to 'do no harm','" he concluded.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients.
(http://www.facs.org)

Online July 16, 2004

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