[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 43520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14814]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Health Services Research and Development Service Merit Review 
Board; Notice of Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under Public 
Law 92-463, Federal Advisory Committee Act, that a meeting of the 
Health Services Research and Development Service Merit Review Board 
will be held August 30 through September 1, 2005 at the Capital Hilton 
Hotel, 1001 16th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036.
    On Tuesday, August 30, 2005, five subcommittees will convene from 8 
a.m. to 5 p.m.--Rehabilitation Outcomes, Implementation and Management 
Science and Patient Safety Systems, Equity/Women's Health, Nursing 
Research Initiative (NRI), and Chronic Disease Management. On 
Wednesday, August 31, 2005, four subcommittees will convene from 8 a.m. 
to 5 p.m.--Special Populations, Implementation and Management Science 
and Patient Safety Systems (continuation), Research Methodology, and 
Chronic Disease Management (continuation). On Thursday, September 1, 
2005, four review groups will convene from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.--Special 
Populations (continuation), Implementation and Management Science and 
Patient Safety Systems and Management (continuation), General Health 
Services Research, and Quality Measurement and Effectiveness. The rooms 
will be open an hour before the meeting convenes to allow participates 
to organize their materials and network.
    The purpose of the Board is to review research and development 
applications concerned with the measurement and evaluation of health 
care services and with testing new methods of health care delivery and 
management, and nursing research. Applications are reviewed for 
scientific and technical merit. Recommendations regarding funding are 
prepared for the Chief Research and Development Officer.
    After the review groups meet there will be a debriefing provided to 
members of the Merit Review Board and HSR&D staff by the chairman of 
each review group. This debriefing, by teleconference, will be to 
discuss the outcomes of the review session and to ensure the integrity 
and consistency of the review process.
    Each subcommittee meeting will be open to the public the first day 
convened for approximately one half-hour from 8 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. to 
cover administrative matters and to discuss the general status of the 
program. The remaining portion of the meeting will be closed. The 
closed portion of the meeting involves discussion, examination, 
reference to, and oral review of staff and consultant critiques of 
research protocols and similar documents.
    During the closed portion of the meeting, discussion and 
recommendations will include qualifications of the personnel conducting 
the studies (the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly 
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy), as well as research 
information (the premature disclosure of which would be likely to 
compromise significantly the implementation of proposed agency action 
regarding such research projects). As provided by subsection 10(d) of 
Public Law 92-463, as amended by Law 94-409; closing portions of these 
meetings is in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B).
    Those who plan to attend the open session should contact the 
Assistant Director, Scientific Merit Review (124), Health Services 
Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 1722 
Eye Street, NW., Washington, DC, at least five days before the meeting. 
For further information, call (202) 254-0212.

    By Direction of the Secretary.
    Dated: July 19, 2005.
E. Philip Riggin,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-14814 Filed 7-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M