This bill establishes a framework for the reporting of serious reportable events by healthcare facilities, including hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and birth centers in Iowa. It mandates that each facility report any serious reportable event to the Director of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) within 15 working days of discovery. The reports must identify the facility but exclude any identifying information about healthcare professionals, employees, or patients involved. Following a serious reportable event, facilities are required to conduct a root cause analysis and either implement a corrective action plan or provide reasons for not taking corrective action. The bill also allows for electronic reporting and emphasizes the confidentiality of the reports and related data.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the Director, including the establishment of a reporting system designed to facilitate quality improvement in healthcare without punishing errors. It specifies that if a serious reportable event may involve child or dependent adult abuse, the facility must inform mandatory reporters within the facility. The bill also requires various professional licensing boards to maintain records of complaints that qualify as serious reportable events and to report these to the Director within 30 working days. The Director is tasked with analyzing the reports to identify systemic failures and improve healthcare quality, while also having the authority to impose sanctions for non-compliance with reporting requirements.