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| Mothers Against Medical Error | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mothers Against Medical Error |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Purpose | Patient safety advocacy |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Region served | United States |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
| Leader name | Jane Doe |
Mothers Against Medical Error is a United States-based nonprofit patient safety advocacy organization founded in 2005 by bereaved mothers after high-profile medical mistakes. It campaigns for transparency in clinical settings, legislative reform, and systemic change across hospitals, insurance systems, and regulatory bodies. The group engages with policymakers, healthcare institutions, legal advocates, and research institutions to reduce preventable harm.
The organization was formed following a series of high-profile incidents in Massachusetts and New York City hospitals that echoed earlier patient-safety movements linked to cases in California and Texas. Founders included family members connected to cases noted in litigation in Boston and testimony before the United States Congress and state legislatures such as the Massachusetts General Court. Early alliances were forged with advocacy groups like Consumer Reports, AARP, and coalitions that had worked on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act implementation issues. The group drew on precedent from campaigns tied to safety reforms after investigations by media outlets such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and broadcast reports from CBS News and NPR. Over time, the organization established relationships with academic centers including Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, and Institute for Healthcare Improvement partners.
The stated mission emphasizes reducing preventable harm in clinical care through policy change, public education, and survivor support. Objectives align with recommendations from World Health Organization patient-safety programs, standards advocated by the Joint Commission, and research agendas promoted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The group targets reforms in hospital credentialing systems overseen by state medical boards and works to influence legislation similar to bills debated in the United States Senate and statehouses such as the California State Legislature. It also seeks to collaborate with institutions like Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to change reimbursement incentives tied to safety performance.
Advocacy strategies have included grassroots mobilization at rallies near institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital and policy briefings at venues including Capitol Hill and meetings with officials from the Department of Health and Human Services. Campaigns have emphasized transparency measures akin to disclosure policies adopted after litigation in Florida and Pennsylvania and promoted state-level disclosure laws modeled on statutes considered in the New Jersey Legislature. The group has run public-awareness campaigns using partnerships with nonprofits such as Families USA and media campaigns drawing on coverage from outlets like CNN, The Washington Post, and ProPublica.
The organization sponsors and commissions studies with collaborators at universities such as Yale University, University of California, San Francisco, and Stanford University to quantify rates of adverse events and propose system redesigns. It has submitted policy briefs to advisory bodies including the Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine) and engaged with rulemaking at the Food and Drug Administration on device safety and post-market surveillance. Its proposals reference frameworks from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and draw on methodologies used in studies published via journals linked to The Lancet and Journal of the American Medical Association.
Support programs include peer-led survivor networks modeled on services provided by groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and bereavement resources similar to those from National Alliance on Mental Illness. Services include legal navigation workshops with collaborators from bar associations like the American Bar Association and referrals to clinical ethics consultation programs at institutions such as Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. Training for family advocates and hospital liaison programs have been piloted in health systems including Kaiser Permanente and municipal hospitals in Chicago.
The organization operates with a national board of directors and regional chapters, drawing governance models from nonprofits such as Red Cross affiliates and advocacy networks like Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Funding sources have included private foundations such as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, grants from philanthropic organizations like The Rockefeller Foundation, individual donations, and occasional corporate underwriting. It files nonprofit reports in compliance with requirements similar to filings overseen by the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Critiques have come from professional groups including associations representing physicians and hospitals such as the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association, which have disputed some advocacy tactics and litigative strategies. Legal scholars and commentators in venues such as Harvard Law School forums and state bar publications have debated the balance between disclosure advocacy and malpractice litigation incentives, referencing cases in California and Texas. Questions have been raised about funding transparency similar to scrutiny seen in nonprofit sectors overseen by watchdogs such as Charity Navigator and reporting by investigative outlets like The Center for Public Integrity.
Category:Patient safety organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in Massachusetts