New Jersey
In 2004, the New Jersey Patient Safety Act (P.L. 2004, c9) was signed into law. The statute was designed to improve patient safety in hospitals and other health care facilities by establishing a medical error reporting system. Events must be reported to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. The system promotes comprehensive reporting of adverse patient events, systematic analysis of their causes, and creation of solutions that will improve health care quality and save lives.
| Lists or clarifications of reportable events | What to Report and How to Report | |
| Public reports | Patient Safety Newsletters and Reports | |
| Public reports | Overview of the Patient Safety Mandatory Reporting System (March 2009) | |
| Reportable event forms | Event Reporting Form | |
| Reportable event forms | Root Cause Analysis Reporting Form | |
| State website | New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Patient Safety Initiative | |
| Tools that enable facilities to conduct analyses | Reporting and Root Cause Analysis Workshop Materials | |
| User’s guide for facilities | Mandatory Reporting Instructions |
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
