[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 6794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2763]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


30-Day Submission Period for Requests for ONC-Approved Accreditor 
(ONC-AA) Status

AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the 30-day period for submission of 
requests for ONC-Approved Accreditor (ONC-AA) status.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300jj-11.


DATES: The 30-day submission period begins upon publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register and will end on March 10, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Bean, Director, Certification 
Division, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology, 202-690-7151.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Health and Human Services 
issued a final rule establishing a permanent certification program for 
the purpose of certifying health information technology (HIT). 
Establishment of the Permanent Certification Program for Health 
Information Technology, 76 FR 1262 (Jan. 7, 2011) (the ``Permanent 
Certification Program final rule''). The Permanent Certification 
Program final rule became effective on February 7, 2011 and added a new 
``Subpart E--Permanent Certification Program for HIT'' to part 170 of 
title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This notice is 
issued pursuant to Sec.  170.503(b), which provides that the National 
Coordinator for Health Information Technology (the National 
Coordinator) will publish a notice in the Federal Register to announce 
the 30-day period during which requests for ONC-AA status may be 
submitted. The 30-day period for submission of requests for ONC-AA 
status begins upon publication of this notice in the Federal Register 
and will end 30 days thereafter, as specified in the DATES section of 
this notice. In order to be considered for ONC-AA status, an 
accreditation organization must submit a written request to the 
National Coordinator that includes the information required by Sec.  
170.503(b), within the 30-day period specified by this notice. Section 
170.503(b) requires an accreditation organization to submit the 
following information to demonstrate its ability to serve as an ONC-AA:
    (1) A detailed description of the accreditation organization's 
conformance to ISO/IEC17011:2004 (incorporated by reference in Sec.  
170.599) and experience evaluating the conformance of certification 
bodies to ISO/IEC Guide 65:1996 (incorporated by reference in Sec.  
170.599);
    (2) A detailed description of the accreditation organization's 
accreditation requirements[,] as well as how those requirements would 
complement the Principles of Proper Conduct for ONC-ACBs and ensure the 
surveillance approaches used by ONC-ACBs include the use of consistent, 
objective, valid, and reliable methods;
    (3) Detailed information on the accreditation organization's 
procedures that would be used to monitor ONC-ACBs;
    (4) Detailed information, including education and experience, about 
the key personnel who review organizations for accreditation; and
    (5) Procedures for responding to, and investigating, complaints 
against ONC-ACBs.
    Requests for ONC-AA status may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] and should include ``Request for ONC-AA Status'' in the 
subject line. Alternatively, requests for ONC-AA status may be 
submitted by regular or express mail to: Office of the National 
Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Attention: Permanent 
Certification Program--Request for ONC-AA Status, 200 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Suite 729D, Washington, DC 20201. In accordance with Sec.  
170.505, the official date of receipt of an e-mail submission will be 
the date on which it was sent, and the official date of a submission by 
regular or express mail will be the date of the delivery confirmation. 
To clarify, e-mail submissions may be sent up to and through 11:59 p.m. 
on the last day of 30-day submission period. Additional information 
about requesting ONC-AA status and the permanent certification program 
can be found on the ONC Web site at: http://healthit.hhs.gov/certification.

    Dated: February 2, 2011.
David Blumenthal,
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2011-2763 Filed 2-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-45-P