[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 53454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7537]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology; American Health Information Community Consumer Empowerment 
Workgroup Meeting

ACTION: Announcement of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the ninth meeting of the American Health 
Information Community (``Community'') Consumer Empowerment Workgroup in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 
5 U.S.C., App.)

DATES: September 18, 2006 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
    Place: Hubert H. Humphrey Building (200 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20201), Conference Room 800 (Please bring your photo 
identification to enter a Federal building.)
    Status: Open.
    Purpose: At this meeting, the Community Consumer Empowerment 
Workgroup will discuss recently received information about personal 
health records, discuss the Workgroup's plan of work for the coming 
year, and receive information on personal health records (PHRs) and 
related matters.
    Part of the meeting will be conducted in hearing format, in which 
the Workgroup will gather information about how to engage consumer 
interest in PHRs, health literacy, clinician and consumer incentives 
for using PHRs, and government policies related to PHRs. The Workgroup 
will invite representatives who can provide information about these 
matters. The format for the meeting will include two invited panels and 
time for questions and discussion. The meeting will include a time 
period during which members of the public may deliver brief (3 minutes 
or less) oral public comment. To be included on the public comment 
portion of the agenda, please contact Vernette Roberts via e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Public input, in the form of written testimony, is sought on the 
following issues:

    1. Are there social marketing techniques or methodologies that 
can be applied to encourage the widespread use of personal health 
records?
    2. Should a consumer outreach and education program be a 
coordinated public-private initiative and, if so, what are the 
logical steps to consider in the planning and implementation? Should 
there be an incremental approach to consumer education and outreach 
given the state of the marketplace and the current level of public 
awareness? What would be an appropriate role for the public sector?
    3. Are there lessons learned from nationwide efforts (e.g. anti-
smoking) or statewide efforts (e.g. car seat belt usage) to 
influence consumer behavior that are applicable to consumer 
education of PHRs?
    4. How can health literacy be advanced through adoption and use 
of PHRs?
    5. What incentives have been successfully to influence consumer 
adoption of PHRs? Are these one-time rewards, or is there a need to 
repeat these awards or to offer different incentives to encourage 
consumers to actively use their PHRs over time?
    6. What incentives have been used successfully to influence 
clinician adoption of PHRs?
    7. What consumer needs are not likely to be filled by market-
driven solutions alone and should be addressed by public policy and 
public-private collaborations?
    8. What public policy options for encouraging adoption of 
personal health records by consumers and for enabling interoperable 
data exchange are available and feasible to implement in the short-
term and over the long-term?

    Persons wishing to submit written testimony only (which should not 
exceed five double-spaced typewritten pages) should endeavor to submit 
it by September 18, 2006. Unfilled slots for oral testimony will be 
filled on the day of the meeting as time permits. Please consult Ms. 
Roberts for further information about these arrangements.
    Further information about the Community's Consumer Empowerment 
Workgroup may be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/ce_main.html. The meeting will be available via Web cast at 
www.eventcenterlive.com/cfmx/ec/login/login1.cfm?BID=67.
    If you have special needs for the meeting, please contact (202) 
690-7151.

    Dated: September 1, 2006.
Judith Sparrow,
Director, American Health Information Community, Office of Programs and 
Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology.
[FR Doc. 06-7537 Filed 9-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-24-M