[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 181 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56312-56313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23913]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics: Meeting

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the following advisory 
committee meeting.

    Name: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), 
National Health Information Infrastructure Workgroup, Health 
Statistics for the 21st Century Workgroup.
    Time and Date: October 30, 2000, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
    Place: The Canterbury Hotel, 750 Sutter Street, San Franscisco, 
CA 94109.
    Status: Open.
    Purpose: Two Workgroups of the NCVHS, the National Health 
Information Infrastructure Workgroup and the Health Statistics for 
the 21st Century Workgroup, are conducting a joint public hearing to 
solicit opinions from the public, including oral and written 
testimony, about the issues raised in two interim reports: ``Toward 
a National Health Information Infrastructure'' and ``Shaping a 
Vision for 21st Century Health Statistics.'' The interim reports may 
be downloaded from the NCVHS homepage at: http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/ 
and all participants are encouraged to review them before the 
meeting.
    The hearing will explore challenges to the development and 
implementation of a National Health Information Infrastructure 
(NHII). As envisioned in the interim report, the NHII is the set of 
technologies, standards, applications, systems, values, and laws 
that support all facets of individual health, health care, and 
public health. The broad goal of the NHII is to deliver information 
to individuals--consumers, patients, and professionals--when and 
where they need it, so they can use this information to make 
informed decisions about health and health care. Speakers invited by 
the NHII workgroup will discuss barriers to accomplishing the 
objectives described in the report, including financial and 
technical barriers to the NHII, along with recommendations for 
actions which could be taken by the Federal government and others to 
overcome constraints.
    The hearing will also seek comments about major trends and issues 
in population health and their implications for future information 
needs described in the report, ``Shaping a Vision for 21st Century 
Health

[[Page 56313]]

Statistics.'' The report outlines themes that have emerged from 
national consultations involving health statistics users, public health 
providers, advocacy groups and health care providers at local, state, 
and Federal levels. Speakers invited by the 21st Century Workgroup will 
be asked to discuss specific local and state health statistics needs, 
specific means for generating private and public cooperation in 
defining health statistics needs and generating health statistics 
collaborations. Invited speakers will also be asked to provide specific 
comments and suggestions on the interim report, particularly as it 
relates to local and state health statistics needs and private and 
public cooperation.
    The October hearing is the second of a series of joint public 
hearings to be conducted in several regions of the country through the 
fall of 2000 to solicit testimony on the reports. Information from the 
hearings will be incorporated in the final reports expected to be 
completed in early 2001.
    Persons who would like to make a brief oral comment (3-5 minutes) 
during the October hearing will be placed on the agenda as time 
permits. To be included on the agenda, please submit testimony by 
October 13, 2000, to Patrice Upchurch at (301) 458-4540, by e-mail at 
[email protected], or postal address at NCHS, Presidential Building, 
Room 1100, 6525 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782. Persons 
wishing to submit written testimony only (no more than 2-3 typewritten 
pages) should also adhere to the due date of October 13, 2000. 
Testimony will also be accepted on-site as time permits. Please consult 
Ms. Upchurch for further information about these arrangements. 
Additional information about the meeting will be provided on the NCVHS 
homepage at: 
http//www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/ shortly before the meeting date.
    Contact Person for More Information: Substantive program 
information as well as summaries of meetings and a roster of committee 
members may be obtained from Marjorie S. Greenberg, Executive 
Secretary, NCVHS, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, Room 1100, Presidential Building, 6525 
Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, telephone (301) 458-4245. 
Information also is available on the NCVHS home page of the HHS 
website: http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/.

James Scanlon,
Director, Division of Data Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 00-23913 Filed 9-15-00; 8:45 am]
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