The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 18 V.S.A. § 1912)
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§ 1912. Definitions
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Adverse event” is any untoward incident, therapeutic misadventure, iatrogenic injury,
or other undesirable occurrence directly associated with care or services provided
by a health care provider or health care facility.
(2) “Causal analysis” means a formal root cause analysis, similar analytic methodologies,
or any similarly effective but simplified processes that use a systematic approach
to identify the basic or causal factors that underlie the occurrence or possible occurrence
of a reportable adverse event, adverse event, or near miss.
(3) “Corrective action plan” means a plan to implement strategies intended to eliminate
or significantly reduce the risk of a recurrence of an adverse event and to measure
the effectiveness of such strategies.
(4) “Hospital” shall have the same meaning as in subdivision 1902(1) of this title.
(5) “Health care provider” shall have the same meaning as in subdivision 9402(7) of this title.
(6) “Intentional unsafe act” shall mean an adverse event or near miss that results from:
(A) a criminal act;
(B) a purposefully unsafe act;
(C) alcohol or substance abuse; or
(D) patient abuse.
(7) “Near miss” means any process variation that did not affect the outcome, but for which
a recurrence carries a significant chance of a serious adverse outcome.
(8) “Reportable adverse event” means those adverse events a hospital is required to report
to the Department pursuant to rules adopted under this chapter.
(9) “Safety system” means the comprehensive patient safety surveillance and improvement
system established pursuant to this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to this
chapter.
(10) “Serious bodily injury” means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death
or that causes substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member
or organ or substantial impairment of health or substantial disfigurement. (Added 2005, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 324; amended 2023, No. 6, § 133, eff. July 1, 2023.)