Washington
The Washington State Department of Health instituted a reporting requirement for adverse events in 1999. Legislation was enacted in 2006 to codify reporting of adverse events. The legislation requires the establishment of an adverse health event and incident reporting system designed to facilitate quality improvement in the health care system, improve patient safety, and decrease medical errors in a nonpunitive manner. The department of health is required to contract with a qualified independent entity to carry out the activities specified.
| Authorizing statutes or regulations | Washington Administrative Code, Title 246, Chapter 320, Section 146 | |
| Authorizing statutes or regulations | Revised Code of Washington, Title 70, Chapter 70.56 | |
| User’s guide for facilities | Root Cause Analysis Evaluation Criteria | |
| User’s guide for facilities | Conducting Effective RCA’s |

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. 























































































































































