[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14977-14979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6179]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part C (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (45 FR 67772-76, dated 
October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, October 20, 1980, as 
amended most recently at 76, FR 1167, dated January 7, 2011) is amended 
to reflect the reorganization of the National Center for Emerging and 
Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Office of Infectious Diseases, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Section C-B, Organization and Functions, is hereby amended as 
follows:
    Delete in their entirety the titles and functional statements for 
the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (CVLD) and insert the 
following:
    Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (CVLD). The mission of the 
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) is to protect patients; 
protect healthcare personnel; and promote safety, quality, and value in 
both national and international healthcare delivery systems. In 
carrying out its mission, DHQP: (1) Measures, validates, interprets, 
and responds to data relevant to healthcare-associated infections 
(HAI); antimicrobial resistance; adverse drug events; blood, organ and 
tissue safety; and immunization safety; and other related adverse 
events or medical errors in healthcare affecting patients and 
healthcare personnel; (2) investigates and responds to emerging 
infections and related adverse events among patients and healthcare 
personnel; (3) develops and maintains the National Healthcare Safety 
Network (NHSN), a tool for monitoring healthcare-associated infections, 
measuring healthcare outcomes and processes, and monitoring healthcare 
worker vaccination and selected health measures in healthcare 
facilities; (4) assesses rates of infections caused by resistant-
bacteria in the U.S. through active surveillance, review of national 
healthcare data sets, and laboratory surveillance programs; (5) 
conducts epidemiologic, and basic and applied laboratory research to 
identify new strategies to prevent infections/antimicrobial resistance, 
and related adverse events or medical errors, especially those 
associated with medical or surgical procedures, indwelling medical 
devices, contaminated products, dialysis, and water; (6) collaborates 
with academic and public health partners to design, develop, and 
evaluate the efficacy of interventions for preventing infections and 
reducing antimicrobial resistance, and related adverse events or 
medical errors; (7) develops and disseminates evidence-based guidelines 
and recommendations to prevent and control HAT, antimicrobial 
resistance, and related adverse events or medical errors; (8) promotes 
the nationwide implementation of Healthcare Infection Control Practices 
Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recommendations and other evidence-based 
interventions to prevent HAI, antimicrobial resistance, and related 
adverse events or medical errors among patients and healthcare 
personnel; (9) evaluates the impact of evidence-based recommendations 
and interventions across the spectrum of healthcare delivery sites; 
(10) develops, implements, and evaluates the effectiveness of 
interventions to prevent transmission of healthcare-associated human 
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other bloodborne pathogen, infections; 
(11) serves as the National Reference Laboratory for the identification 
and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of staphylococci, anaerobic 
bacteria, non-tuberculous mycobacterial, and those gram-negative 
bacilli causing healthcare associated infections; (12) serves as the 
technical reference laboratory for detection and characterization of 
other pathogens related to healthcare; and for characterizing the 
contribution of the healthcare environment to HAI; (13) coordinates 
guidance and research related to infection control across the agency 
and with national and international partners; (14) monitors vaccine 
safety and conducts research to evaluate the safety of available and 
new vaccines; (15) promotes the integration of the healthcare delivery 
system in federal/state/local public health preparedness planning; (16) 
trains Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers and other trainees; (17) 
coordinates antimicrobial resistance activities at CDC; (18) works in a 
national leadership capacity with public and private organizations to 
enhance antimicrobial resistance prevention and control, surveillance 
and response, and applied research; (19) coordinates blood, organ, and 
other tissue safety at CDC; and (20) provides expertise arid assistance 
to HHS and other Federal agencies on efforts and activities related to 
health reform.
    Office of the Director (CVLD1). (1) Manages, directs, and 
coordinates the activities of the DHQP; (2) provides leadership and 
guidance on policy and communications/media; (3) works with Federal 
agencies, CDC's Office of Prevention through Healthcare, and other 
partners on activities related to Health Reform; (4) coordinates state 
and local activities to monitor and prevent HAI; (5) provides liaison 
with other governmental agencies, international organizations, and 
other outside groups; (6) coordinates, in collaboration with the 
appropriate CIO and CDC components, global health activities relating 
to the prevention of healthcare-associated infections/antimicrobial 
resistance, and related adverse events or medical errors; (7) 
coordinates activities, guidance, emergency response, and research 
related to infection control in healthcare settings across the agency 
and with national and international partners; (8) works with other 
federal agencies, state governments, medical societies, and other 
public and private organizations to promote collaboration and to 
integrate healthcare preparedness in federal/state/local public health 
preparedness planning; (9) oversees the coordination of antimicrobial 
resistance activities at CDC; (10) represents CDC as co-chair of the 
federal Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance; (11) 
coordinates with other agencies, state governments, medical societies, 
and other public and private organizations to enhance antimicrobial 
resistance prevention and control, surveillance and response, and 
applied research; (12) leads CDC's activities on blood, organ, and 
other tissue safety; (13) represents CDC on the Advisory Committee on 
Blood Safety and Availability and the Advisory Committee on Organ 
Transplantation; (14) works with other federal agencies, state 
governments, and

[[Page 14978]]

other public and private organizations to enhance blood, organ, and 
other tissue safety through coordination of investigation, prevention, 
response, surveillance, applied research, health communication, and 
public policy; and (15) advises the Director, NCEZID, on science, 
policy and communication matters concerning DHQP activities.
    Program Implementation and Integration Activity (CVLD13). (1) 
Provides leadership and guidance for program planning and development, 
program management, and operations; (2) provides DHQP-wide 
administrative and program services and coordinates or ensures 
coordination with the appropriate CIOs and CDC staff offices on 
administrative and program matters including budget formulation and 
execution and human resource management; (3) oversees the coordination 
of federal and state programs and new initiatives to prevent HAI (e.g., 
the HAI Recovery Act State Cooperative Agreement program); (4) 
interprets general program and administrative policy directives for 
implications on management and execution of DHQP's programs; (5) serves 
as lead and primary contact and liaison with relevant CDC staff offices 
on all matters pertaining to DHQP's procurement needs and activities; 
(6) provides management and coordination for DHQP-occupied space and 
facilities including laboratory space and facilities; (7) provides 
oversight and management of the distribution, accountability, and 
maintenance of CDC property and equipment including laboratory property 
and equipment; and (8) provides program and administrative support for 
HICPAC.
    Clinical and Environmental Microbiology Branch (CVLDB). (1) 
Collaborates with the Prevention and Response Branch to provide 
laboratory response to outbreaks and emerging threats associated with 
infections/antimicrobial resistance and related adverse events 
throughout the healthcare delivery system; (2) provides comprehensive 
laboratory support and expertise for investigations of recognized and 
emerging bacterial agents in healthcare settings; (3) develops methods 
to assess contamination of environmental surface; (4) investigates 
novel and emerging mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance among 
targeted pathogens found in healthcare settings; (5) detects toxins/
virulence factors of bacteria causing HAI to understand their 
transmission and pathogenicity; (6) conducts research in collaboration 
with partners to develop new, accurate methods of detecting 
antimicrobial resistance in bacteria and to improve reporting of 
antimicrobial susceptibility testing results to physicians to improve 
antimicrobial use; (7) conducts laboratory research to identify new 
strategies to prevent infections/antimicrobial resistance, related 
adverse events, and medical errors, especially those associated with 
invasive medical devices, contaminated products, dialysis, and water; 
(8) maintains capacity to evaluate commercial microbial identification 
and antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems and products and 
facilitates their improvement to provide accurate patient test results; 
(9) investigates the role of biofilms, particularly those detected in 
indwelling medical devices and medical water systems, in medicine and 
public health, and identifies novel methods to eliminate colonization 
and biofilm formation on foreign bodies; (10) investigates the role of 
the water distribution systems in healthcare facilities in order to 
understand and prevent waterborne healthcare associated infections; and 
(11) provides expertise, research opportunities, training, and 
laboratory support for investigations of infections and related adverse 
events to other CDC CIOs and to our partners in areas related to 
quality clinical microbiology laboratory practices, investigation of 
emerging pathogens and environmental microbiology.
    Prevention and Response Branch (CVLDC). (1) Coordinates rapid 
response to assess and control strategically selected outbreaks and 
emerging threats (i.e., healthcare associated infections, related 
adverse events, including related infections in the community, and 
antimicrobial resistance) and communicates the results of response 
activities with federal and state agencies, healthcare providers, and 
the public to prevent similar adverse events in the future; (2) 
supports local, state, and national efforts to prevent HAI and related 
adverse events using evidence-based recommendations; (3) develops and/
or evaluates the effectiveness of interventions to prevent HAI and 
related adverse events or medical errors across the spectrum of 
healthcare delivery sites including acute and long-term inpatient care, 
dialysis, and ambulatory settings; (4) provides epidemiology support 
for investigation and study of both recognized and emerging bacterial 
healthcare pathogens and related community pathogens, including 
antimicrobial resistant forms of these pathogens; (5) provides 
epidemiology support to Clinical and Environmental Microbiology Branch 
to identify new strategies to prevent infections associated with 
indwelling medical devices, contaminated products, dialysis, and water; 
(6) develops, promotes, and monitors implementation of evidence-based 
guidelines/recommendations, and other proven interventions to prevent 
HAI and related adverse events, and occupational infections/exposures 
among healthcare personnel; (7) develops, promotes, and monitors 
implementation of interventions to prevent transmission of healthcare-
associated HIV infections and conducts case investigations of 
occupational HIV infections; (8) conducts and supports research and 
evaluates impact of public health practices to prevent HAIs and related 
adverse events and monitors progress in reaching national prevention 
goals; and (9) provides expert consultation, guidance, and technical 
support to other branches in the division, across the agency, to 
government (e.g., Centers for Medicare Services and the VA 
Administration) and non-governmental payers of healthcare, and other 
domestic and international partners, and the U.S. public on the 
epidemiology and prevention of HAI and related adverse events, and 
exposures/injuries among healthcare personnel.
    Surveillance Branch (CVLDD). (1) Monitors and evaluates on the 
national level the extent, distribution, and impact of healthcare-
associated infections, antimicrobial use and resistance, adverse drug 
events, healthcare worker safety events, and adherence to clinical 
processes and intervention programs designed to prevent or control 
adverse exposures or outcomes in healthcare; (2) provides leadership 
and consultative services for statistical methods and analysis to 
investigators in the branch, division, and other organizations 
responsible for surveillance, research studies, and prevention and 
control of HAI and other healthcare-associated adverse events; (3) 
improves methods and enables wider use of clinical performance 
measurements by healthcare facilities and public health entities for 
specific interventions and prevention strategies designed to safeguard 
patients and healthcare workers from risk exposures and adverse 
outcomes through collaborations with extramural partners; (4) 
collaborates with public and private sector partners to further 
standardize, integrate, and streamline systems by which healthcare 
organizations collect, manage, analyze, report, and respond to data on 
clinical guideline adherence, HAI, including transmission of multi-drug 
resistant organisms and other HAI; (5) coordinates, further develops,

[[Page 14979]]

enables wider use, and maintains NHSN to obtain scientifically valid 
clinical performance indices and benchmarks that promote healthcare 
quality and value at the facility, state, and national levels; (6) 
conducts applied research to identify and develop innovative methods to 
detect and monitor HAI and antimicrobial resistance; (7) conducts 
special studies and provides national estimates of targeted, 
healthcare-associated adverse events, antimicrobial use and resistance 
patterns, and the extent to which prevention and control safeguards are 
in use to protect at-risk patients across the spectrum of healthcare 
delivery sites; (8) uses NHSN and other data sources to conduct special 
studies and provide national estimates of targeted occupational 
illnesses and injuries among healthcare workers and the extent to which 
preventive safeguards are in use across the spectrum of healthcare 
delivery sites; and (9) leads CDC's national adverse drug events 
surveillance activities and seeks to translate population-based 
surveillance data into evidence-based policies and targeted, innovative 
and collaborative interventions.
    Immunization Safety Office (CVLDE). (1) Assesses the safety of new 
and currently available vaccines received by children, adolescents and 
adults; (2) coordinates vaccine safety activities at CDC; (3) conducts 
public health surveillance to identify adverse events following 
immunization; (4) in collaboration with the Food and Drug 
Administration, coordinates and maintains the Vaccine Adverse Event 
Reporting System, a national reporting system that serves as an early-
warning system to detect medical problems that may be related to 
vaccines; (5) coordinates and maintains the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a 
collaborative effort with managed care organizations, to assess adverse 
events following immunization; (6) administers the Clinical 
Immunization Safety Assessment network, a national network of medical 
research centers with expertise in immunization safety conducting 
clinical research on immunization-associated health risks; (7) 
participates in the Brighton Collaboration, an international 
collaboration of scientists from around the world working to develop, 
evaluate, and disseminate globally accepted standard case definitions 
for adverse events following immunization and guidelines for 
collection, analysis, and presentation of vaccine safety data; and (8) 
works with other federal agencies, state governments, and other public 
and private organizations to assess and promote the safety of vaccines.

    Dated: March 10, 2011.
James D. Seligman,
Acting Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-6179 Filed 3-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-M