[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21760-21763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08551]


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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 79 FR 15593-15594, dated March 20, 2014) is 
amended to reflect the reorganization of the Division of Healthcare 
Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious 
Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Section C-B, Organization and Functions, is hereby amended as 
follows:
    Delete in its entirety the title and the mission and function 
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 use and resistance; adverse drug events; blood, 
organ and tissue safety; 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, 
antimicrobial use and resistance, measuring healthcare outcomes and 
processes, monitoring healthcare worker vaccination, and selected 
health measures in healthcare facilities; (4) assesses local, regional, 
national scope and burden of infections caused by resistant-bacteria in 
the U.S. through surveillance and special studies, review of national 
healthcare data sets, and laboratory surveillance programs; (5) 
conducts epidemiologic, and basic and applied laboratory research to 
identify new strategies to monitor and 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 new approaches to monitoring infections and 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 HAI, antimicrobial resistance, 
and related adverse events or medical errors; (8) promotes the 
nationwide implementation of CDC guidelines and other evidence-based 
interventions to prevent HAI, antimicrobial resistance, and related 
adverse events or medical

[[Page 21761]]

errors among patients and healthcare personnel; (9) evaluates the 
impact of evidence-based recommendations and interventions across the 
spectrum of healthcare delivery sites; (10) serves as the Designated 
Federal Official for the Healthcare Infection Control Practices 
Advisory Committee (HICPAC); (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) 
trains Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers and other trainees; (16) 
coordinates antimicrobial resistance activities at CDC; (17) works in a 
national leadership capacity with public and private organizations to 
enhance antimicrobial resistance prevention and control, surveillance 
and response, and applied research; (18) coordinates blood, organ, and 
other tissue safety at CDC; and (19) provides expertise and assistance 
to HHS and other Federal agencies and global partners on efforts and 
activities related to safe healthcare.
    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, international organizations, and other partners on activities 
related to safe healthcare; (4) coordinates state and local activities 
to monitor and prevent HAI; (5) 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; (6) 
coordinates activities, guidance, emergency response, and research 
related to infection control in healthcare settings across the agency 
and with national and international partners; (7) oversees the 
coordination of antimicrobial resistance activities at CDC; (8) 
represents CDC as co-chair of the Federal Interagency Task Force on 
Antimicrobial Resistance; (9) 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; (10) leads 
CDC's activities on blood, organ, and other tissue safety; (11) 
represents CDC on the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and 
Availability and the Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation; (12) 
works with other Federal agencies, state governments, and 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 (13) 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; (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) Leads 
national laboratory characterization of HAI-related threats in 
partnership with state and regional laboratories; (2) provides 
comprehensive laboratory support and expertise for investigations of 
recognized and emerging bacterial agents in healthcare settings; (3) 
provides laboratory response to outbreaks and emerging threats 
associated with infections/antimicrobial resistance and related adverse 
events throughout the healthcare delivery system; (4) develops methods 
to assess contamination of environmental surfaces; (5) investigates 
novel and emerging mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance among 
targeted pathogens found in healthcare settings; (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 test 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 transmission of healthcare-associated infections 
due to water; and (11) provides expertise, research opportunities, 
training, and laboratory support for investigations of infections and 
related adverse events to other CDC National Centers 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). Across the healthcare 
continuum, including acute, long-term, ambulatory, and chronic care 
settings: (1) Develops, promotes, and monitors implementation of 
evidence-based recommendations, standards, policies, strategies and 
related educational materials to prevent and control HAI and related 
adverse events, adverse drug events, and healthcare personnel safety 
events associated with antibiotic resistance, device and procedure 
associated infections, poor adherence to quality standards and safety, 
and emerging infectious diseases; (2) develops, promotes, and monitors 
implementation of and adherence to evidence-based recommendations, 
standards and related educational

[[Page 21762]]

materials, policies and strategies to increase adherence to Appropriate 
Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship; (3) uses data from the NHSN and 
other sources to target and improve the prevention and control 
healthcare-associated infections in the U.S. in specific regions, 
settings and institutions; (4) supports local, state, and national 
efforts to prevent HAT and related adverse events by providing 
leadership and consultative services, including monitoring adherence to 
CDC-recommended practices and policies; (5) provide leadership and 
epidemiologic support for the investigation, monitoring, and control of 
both recognized and emerging healthcare pathogens, including 
antimicrobial resistant forms; (6) leads and coordinates rapid response 
to assess and control outbreaks and emerging threats involving HAI and 
related adverse events, microbially-contaminated medical products and 
devices, and adverse drug events; (7) communicates the results of 
response activities with Federal and state agencies, healthcare 
providers, and the public, with recommendations to prevent similar 
adverse events in the future; (8) provides leadership and expert 
consultation, guidance, and technical support to and collaborates with 
other CDC Operating Divisions (OPDIV) Centers and Divisions, other HHS 
OPDIVs, and extramural domestic and international partners, on the 
epidemiology and prevention and control of HAI and related adverse 
events, adverse drug events, and healthcare personnel safety events; 
and (9) develops implementation strategies to utilize innovative 
evidence-based methods for preventing and controlling HAI and related 
adverse events, adverse drug events, and healthcare personnel safety 
events to recommendations to allow broad, effective implementation and 
more rapid improvement in the standard of care.
    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 services, 
including leadership, consultation, and analysis support, for 
statistical methods and analysis to investigators in the branch, 
division, and other organizations responsible for surveillance, 
research studies, and prevention and control of HAT and other 
healthcare-associated adverse events; (3) works with Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services and other partners to develop new metrics 
and support maintenance of NQF-approved metrics; (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, enables 
wider use, and maintains NHSN to obtain scientifically valid clinical 
performance indices that promote healthcare quality and value at the 
facility, state, and national levels; (6) development and 
implementation of new NHSN modules and provides enrollment and user 
support for NHSN; (7) improve system by utilizing new technology; (8) 
generates and provides NHSN surveillance reports and analyses, which 
include collaborative analytic projects with partners; 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 using a variety of strategies; (2) conducts ongoing surveillance 
for the timely detection of possible adverse events following 
immunization (AEFI) in collaboration with the Food and Drug 
Administration, through coordination and management of the Vaccine 
Adverse Event Reporting System, the national spontaneous reporting 
system that acts as an early-warning system to detect health conditions 
that may be associated with immunization; (3) coordinates, further 
develops, maintains and directs activities of the Vaccine Safety 
Datalink (VSD), a collaborative effort with integrated healthcare 
organizations, to conduct surveillance and investigate possible AEFI to 
assess causality and determine risk factors; (4) conducts epidemiologic 
research on causality of AEFI using the VSD and other data sources, 
provide national estimates of incidence of AEFI and background rates of 
health conditions; (5) leads the nation in developing biostatistical 
methods for research of AEFI using large linked databases and other 
data sources, and shares methods for use by other agencies and public 
and private entities; (6) conducts clinical research to identify causes 
of adverse events after immunization, specific populations susceptible 
to specific adverse events, and prevention strategies through the 
Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment network, a national network of 
medical research centers, and other efforts; (7) applies findings from 
epidemiologic and clinical studies to develop strategies for prevention 
of AEFI; (8) provides global consultation and leadership for the 
development, use, and interpretation of vaccine safety surveillance 
systems, and for the development of shared definitions of specific 
health outcomes through participation in the Brighton Collaboration and 
other international organizations; (9) provides data for action to HHS, 
the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the Food Drug 
Administration's Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory 
Committee, HRSA's Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines, and 
collaborators around the globe including the World Health Organization 
Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety; and (10) provides timely, 
accurate communication and education to partners and the public on 
vaccine safety concerns.
    Epidemiology Research and Innovations Branch (CVLDG). (1) Develops 
and evaluates the efficacy of interventions to prevent HAI and related 
adverse events or medical errors across the spectrum of healthcare 
delivery sites including acute and longterm inpatient care, dialysis, 
and ambulatory settings; (2) 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; (3) identifies gaps in HAI-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; (5) conducts applied research 
to identify and develop innovative methods to detect and monitor HAI 
and antimicrobial resistance; (6) conducts special studies to identify 
key risk factor for 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; (7) develops new ways to assess the impact of HAI 
prevention programs; (8) conducts analysis of the return on investment 
and costs related to

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prevention efforts and impact of HAI prevention programs; and (9) works 
with the Emerging Infections Program and other partners to identify 
emerging issues.

    Dated: April 7, 2014.
Sherri A. Berger,
Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2014-08551 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-M