New Training Offers CME Credit Helping Hospitals Prepare for CMS Harm Communication Rule
Comms Corps Launches Certified Medical Harm Communicator Program to Meet Growing Regulatory and Ethical Demands
RENO, Nev. (August, 2025) — As preventable medical harm continues to devastate patients, families and clinicians across the U.S., and hospitals brace for new federal accountability measures, Comms Corps announces the September launch of a first-of its-kind certification course: the Certified Medical Harm Communicator (CMHC) program.
The CME-accredited training equips clinicians, risk managers, and healthcare leaders with practical, trauma-informed tools to ethically and transparently respond when medical harm occurs. The program is designed to support both patient healing and provider resilience—while helping health systems stay compliant with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) new Patient Safety Structural Measures (PSSM) rule.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2025, CMS will require hospitals to annually attest that they have formal patient safety systems in place. This includes leadership accountability, harm response protocols, and clear communication practices after adverse events. CMS will publicly report attestation scores starting in October 2026, and hospitals that fail to comply may face future reimbursement penalties.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2025, CMS will require hospitals to annually attest that they have formal patient safety systems in place. This includes leadership accountability, harm response protocols, and clear communication practices after adverse events. CMS will publicly report attestation scores starting in October 2026, and hospitals that fail to comply may face future reimbursement penalties.
• An estimated 250,000 Americans die annually due to preventable medical errors, according to Johns Hopkins—making it the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
• Over 25,000 medical malpractice claims are filed each year, many of them tied to poor communication after harm occurs.
• After a major medical error, physicians are ~3× more likely to experience suicidal thoughts—and physicians already have elevated suicide mortality compared with the general population (especially women).” Mayo Clinic.
The CMHC course provides structured education and CME credit for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other care providers. Participants learn to shift from a culture of fear and silence to one of accountability, transparency, and healing —for all involved.
“Communication is a risk strategy,” said Kyle Sweet, JD, a nationally recognized healthcare defense attorney and Comms Corps co-founder. “The systems that respond with honesty and compassion are the ones that build trust and reduce litigation. That’s what this training prepares people to do.”
In a time of rising regulatory expectations and public scrutiny, Comms Corps offers healthcare systems a proactive path forward.
To learn more about Comms Corps or to schedule interviews with the founders, visit commscorps.com or contact Leilani@CommsCorps.com.
About Comms Corps
Founded by Leilani Schweitzer and Kyle Sweet, JD, Comms Corps is a national organization providing training and leadership in post-harm communication. Through the Certified Medical Harm Communicator program, Comms Corps helps clinicians and institutions navigate the most difficult moments in healthcare with confidence, compassion, and integrity.
