Bill > SJR21

This joint resolution directs the Joint Commission on Health Care, a state body responsible for studying healthcare issues, to investigate options for creating a reporting system for unintended medical errors within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The resolution acknowledges that the complexity of healthcare can lead to errors that harm patients and increase costs, and that fear of punishment, such as lawsuits or disciplinary action, discourages healthcare providers from reporting these mistakes. This lack of reporting hinders efforts to learn from errors and improve patient safety. Therefore, the Joint Commission is tasked with studying current reporting practices, analyzing the negative impacts of reporting errors, and recommending ways to establish a system where providers can report unintentional errors without fear of reprisal, while still ensuring accountability for willful misconduct or gross negligence. The Commission must complete its work and submit findings and recommendations by the start of the 2027 legislative session.