Three healthcare organizations – two hospitals and an ambulance service – are the newest members of the Quality Alliance Patient Safety Organization, part of the Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance based in Springfield.

The new members are Blessing Health System in Quincy, Decatur Memorial Hospital and America Ambulance Service in Springfield.

The main mission of a patient safety organization (PSO) is to protect patients by preventing medical errors. A PSO strives to track what medical errors occur and determine why they occur and how best to prevent their reoccurrence through the collection of information, analysis of errors and sharing of lessons and preventive strategies with others.

“We’re excited to have these three organizations join us as we collaborate with regional and national partners to share best practices on patient safety and healthcare quality,” said Charles Callahan, co-executive director of the Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance and executive vice president and chief operating officer for Memorial Health System.

The Quality Alliance Patient Safety Organization has received federal certification as one of only 10 PSOs in Illinois and the only one of its kind outside of Chicago. Only 80 patient safety organizations in 29 states and the District of Columbia are currently recognized by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance, a partnership between Memorial Health System and SIU HealthCare, is housed in the Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation on the Memorial Medical Center campus in Springfield.

For more information, visit QAPSO.org.