(a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

''Adverse event'', harm to a patient resulting from a medical intervention and not to the underlying condition of the patient.

''Agency'', any agency of the executive branch of the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, any constitutional or other office, executive office, department, division, bureau, board, commission or committee thereof, or any authority created by the general court to serve a public purpose, having either statewide or local jurisdiction.

''Board'', the patient safety and medical errors reduction board.

''Healthcare-associated infection'', an infection that a patient acquires during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions within a health care setting.

''Lehman center'', the Betsy Lehman center for patient safety and medical error reduction.

''Incident'', an incident which, if left undetected or uncorrected, might have resulted in an adverse event.

''Medical error'', the failure of medical management of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an outcome.

''Patient safety'', freedom from accidental injury.

''Patient safety information'', data and information related to patient safety, including adverse events, incidents, medical errors or health care-associated infections, that is collected or maintained by agencies.

(b) There shall be established within the center the Betsy Lehman center for patient safety and medical error reduction. The purpose of the Lehman center shall be to serve as a clearinghouse for the development, evaluation and dissemination, including, but not limited to, the sponsorship of training and education programs, of best practices for patient safety and medical error reduction. The Lehman center shall:

1. (1) coordinate the efforts of state agencies engaged in the regulation, contracting or delivery of health care and those individuals or institutions licensed by the commonwealth to provide health care to meet their responsibilities for patient safety and medical error reduction;
2. (2) assist all such entities to work as part of a total system of patient safety; and (3) develop appropriate mechanisms for consumers to be included in a statewide program for improving patient safety. The Lehman center shall coordinate state participation in any appropriate state or federal reports or data collection efforts relative to patient safety and medical error reduction. The Lehman center shall analyze available data, research and reports for information that would improve education and training programs that promote patient safety.