Ross Lewin Quoted Regarding Patient Safety Ruling

Princeton partner Ross Lewin was quoted in Law360 and the New Jersey Law Journal on a ruling regarding provisions of the New Jersey Patient Safety Act (PSA).

The state appeals panel ruling determined the scope of privacy hospitals can claim in the investigations it conducts into “adverse events” like death or problems at birth. The panel ruled that information generated by health care facilities exclusively for internal analysis under the act is absolutely privileged as long as all the act’s requirements are fulfilled.

Ross, a partner in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group, represented amicus curiae New Jersey Hospital Association. He said the ruling was a victory for the PSA's mandate to promote candid exploration of causes of adverse patient events in health care facilities.

“The issue of importance to hospitals and trial lawyers and anyone else with a vested interested in seeing the process work is that the court has said that as long as you play by the [PSA] rules, no one can pierce the veil,” he said.

“This means that there will be a full, frank and robust evaluation of these adverse events that will be conducted under an umbrella of confidentiality as the legislature intended.”

To read the Law 360  article, click here.