[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 243 (Monday, December 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 79105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32132]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 in Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), 
National Health Information Infrastructure Workgroup, Health Statistics 
for the 21st Century Workgroup.
    Time and Date: January 11, 2001, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
    Place: Lowe's Hotel at L'Enfant Plaza, 480 L'Enfant Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20201, (202) 484-1000.
    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 
to overcome constraints. Speakers will also address consumer interests 
and concerns and the role of principal stakeholder groups in achieving 
the NHII vision. The Workgroup will also hear additional testimony from 
the public on these areas.
    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. The Workgroup's national consultative process has 
helped to identify trends and gaps in shaping the vision, as well as 
cross-cutting issues involved and several principles have emerged as 
essential qualities for developing the health statistics vision. 
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.
    Joint panels of speakers will address confidentiality and privacy 
issues pertinent to both Workgroups and will consider other topics of 
mutual relevance. The January hearing is the fourth and final of a 
series of joint public hearings conducted in several regions of the 
country to solicit testimony on the reports. Information from the 
hearings will be incorporated in the final reports expected to be 
completed in early 2001.
    Person who would like to make a brief oral comment (3-5 minutes) 
during the January hearing will be placed on the agenda as time 
permits. To be included on the agenda, please submit testimony by 
January 3, 2001, to Debbie M. Jackson at (301) 458-4614, 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 January 3, 2001. Testimony 
will also be accepted on-site as time permits. Please consult Ms. 
Jackson for further information about these arrangements. Additional 
information about the meeting will be provided by 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: December 11, 2000.
James Scanlon,
Director, Division of Data Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 00-32132 Filed 12-15-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4151-05-M