[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 210 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 64705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27748]


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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: November 20, 2000, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
    Place: National Center for Health Statistics (New Facility), 
4105 Hopson Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, 
(919) 541-0171.
    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 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 November hearing is the third 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 November hearing will be placed on the agenda as 
time permits. To be included on the agenda, please submit testimony 
by November 8, 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 
November 8, 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/.

    Dated: October 23, 2000.
James Scanlon,
Director, Division of Data Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 00-27748 Filed 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
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