Section 629-3-1 - Statutory Authority and Introduction1.Statutory AuthorityA. Chapter 469 established the Dirigo Health Agency as an independent executive agency to improve access and quality in the healthcare system.B. Section 6951, subsections 1-5 state, in part, that the Maine Quality Forum is established within Dirigo Health and shall perform duties associated with, but not limited to: research dissemination regarding health care quality, evidence-based medicine, and patient safety; health care quality and performance measurement; health care quality data coordination; reporting of comparative health data; and consumer education>.2.IntroductionA. These rules describe the processes guiding the application for and receipt of the Maine Quality Forum ("MQF") Safety Star. The rules include application guidelines, validation processes, site visit steps, processes for reapplication and reconsideration, and guidelines for the use of the Safety Star logo.B.Safety Star Program Description1.Background. A national organization, the National Quality Forum, has established Voluntary National Consensus Standards for Safe Practices> or "safe practices" that have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing errors and making hospitals safer for patients. The challenge is to have all healthcare providers fully implement the National Quality Forum ("NQF") endorsed safe practices.2.About the Safety Star Program. The MQF Safety Star program uses the most current version of these NQF-endorsed safe practices to recognize the hospitals in Maine that meet all of the MQF determined thresholds of performance on safe practices included in the program requirements. The MQF Safety Star program is a voluntary, verified recognition program that recognizes hospitals that are working hard to ensure that they provide the safest care possible. The Safety Star program gives the people of Maine a way to identify the hospitals that are working to be the safest.3.Rationale. MQF and the MQF Advisory Council believe that recognizing implementation leaders of these consensus safe practices will promote patient safety and lead to systems that enhance and maintain patient safety. This is consistent with the literature that recommends moving away from a culture of blame and toward a culture of safety that supports hospitals' efforts to become ultra-safe organizations. Recognition of leaders also spurs others to achieve full implementation.