HHS should undertake a number of actions to reduce potential harm to patients caused by "unnecessarily complex, confusing and burdensome regulations" for providers, according to an advisory panel report released Nov. 21. Created last year by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, the Advisory Committee on Regulatory Reform, which includes doctors, nurses and other professionals, examined how to "streamline unnecessarily burdensome or inefficient regulations." The panel's first report recommends 255 changes to reduce obstacles to patient care, lessen time providers spend completing paperwork, improve communication with consumers, boost utilization of technology and promote quality care. HHS already has implemented 26 of the recommendations. For example, CMS streamlined its paperwork requirements for home health nurses and therapists by only requiring information necessary to ensure proper payment and to promote quality care. CMS also changed paperwork requirements for nursing homes that care for Medicare beneficiaries. Thompson said, "One by one, we are removing the unnecessary barriers between patients and their doctors, nurses and other health care providers." He added the by "restoring common sense to our regulatory system, we are helping health care professionals spend more time caring for patients and less time consumed with paperwork" (HHS release, 11/21). The report is available online.