[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24740-24742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11072]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Health Information Technology Research and Development (HITRD) 
Interagency Working Group (IWG)

AGENCY: The Networking and Information Technology Research and 
Development, National Coordination Office, National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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

SUMMARY: With this notice, the Networking and Information Technology 
Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) 
requests comments from the public regarding the draft Federal Health 
Information Technology Research and Development Strategic Framework. 
The draft Strategic Framework is posted at: https://www.nitrd.gov/drafts/HITRD_StrategicFramework_Draft.pdf.

[[Page 24741]]


DATES: The deadline for submissions under this request for comments 
(RFC) is June 28, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Email: [email protected], comments submitted by 
email should be machine-readable and should not be copy-protected;
    [ssquf] Fax (703) 292-9097, Attn: Health Information Technology 
R&D or
    [ssquf] Mail: Attn: Health Information Technology R&D, NCO, Suite 
II-405, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230.
    Submissions must not exceed 3 pages in 12 point or larger font, 
with a page number provided on each page. Responders should include the 
name of the person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment.
    Responses to this RFC may be posted online at http://www.nitrd.gov. 
Therefore, the Health IT R&D IWG requests that no business proprietary 
information or copyrighted information be submitted in response to this 
RFC.
    In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not 
offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding 
contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated 
with responding to this RFC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth Linas at [email protected] or (703) 
292-4871. Information about the NITRD Web site may be found at: https://www.nitrd.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of the Draft Strategic Framework

    The rapid development of Health Information Technology (health IT) 
has made it possible to improve human health in ways that were 
previously unimaginable. For example, imagine a world in which every 
individual carries a medical identification bracelet or token that 
enables them to safely and securely share their up-to-date and accurate 
medical record information as they wish. This will allow people to 
avoid the danger of not being able to remember or communicate their 
important health information (e.g., medications, conditions, and 
treatment history) in times of crisis. This vision for the future will 
become reality with strategic research and development (R&D) in data 
management, including data quality and transmission, accessibility, 
usability, security and privacy, validation, verification, standards, 
and infrastructure. For data to be useful, advanced analytics, such as 
machine learning, artificial intelligence, statistics and data mining, 
and networking, and communications are also required.
    Health IT investments will do far more than facilitate ease of 
access for medical records. This paradigm shift within health and 
medicine will also allow people to unobtrusively monitor their health, 
receive the information they want when they need it, and have 
treatments targeted to their individual profile, prioritizing personal 
preferences and culture, including those in rural or resource-limited 
environments. Improvements in health IT will also influence how we 
prevent, diagnose, and treat disease, as well as how we shift the focus 
to wellness. These changes should have a cascading effect: People will 
have increased access to health services and be healthier and more 
productive. Because of the efficiencies afforded by advanced health IT, 
this enhanced quality will be realized while reducing cost and adapting 
to the coming changes in the population and workforce.
    This R&D Framework lays out a clear, comprehensive, structured 
description of the current state of a field of research, organized and 
explained in a way that facilitates understanding of the field by all 
stakeholders, and that supports R&D coordination and cooperation by 
participating Federal agencies. This health IT R&D Strategic Framework 
will improve medical, functional, and societal health outcomes through 
R&D in the use of data and IT for advanced health IT applications. 
Health IT R&D includes, but is not limited to, the use of digital 
information, data, and technology across the human lifespan in the 
areas of screening, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance; preventable 
medical error reduction; disease prevention; self-management of health 
behavior and wellness; healthcare; and disaster and emergency response 
that support improved individual and community health outcomes. It does 
not include research in basic biological sciences (e.g., computational 
biology) or approaches that enhance health indirectly (e.g., 
technologies to enhance transportation).
    This Strategic Framework is designed to provide an overview of the 
salient issues, needs and ongoing federal investments in health IT R&D. 
This Framework aligns with the Office of the National Coordinator for 
Health Information Technology's (ONC's) Federal Health IT Strategic 
Plan 2015-2020 by focusing on Federal R&D investments. This Framework 
summarizes the motivators and challenges, needs, mechanisms of 
collaboration, and the ongoing research, in order to identify gaps and 
allow for enhanced coordination and planning of Federal agency health 
IT R&D.
    The Central Goals that motivate this strategy are to:
     Understand motivators and challenges in health IT R&D
     Accelerate health IT innovation and infrastructure 
development;
     Facilitate cross-sector collaboration and bridge existing 
silos;
     Boost innovation and promote U.S. global leadership; and
     Focus on people-centered solutions that support safety and 
effectiveness and enhance economic competitiveness.
    A key objective of this plan is to identify priorities for 
federally funded research and development (R&D) as well as capacity-
building to help transform health IT R&D and improve our Country's 
health. To do so, the Strategic Priorities identified herein are to:
     Accelerate fundamental R&D for health IT;
     Facilitate accurate, secure and resilient health IT 
infrastructure, systems, and services;
     Foster health IT R&D innovation through data and knowledge 
sharing, best practices, and collaboration; and
     Enable evaluation of progress and long-term growth of 
health IT.
    This plan envisions Federal agencies working together and engaging 
with academia, industry, civil society, and other key stakeholders. The 
aim is to accelerate the development and implementation of new 
discoveries and innovations that in turn enable health IT R&D to 
address our Country's most important challenges. Therefore, the 
Collaboration Opportunities in Health IT R&D identified in this 
Strategic Framework include, through the health IT R&D Working Group, 
promoting interagency coordination and collaboration; and, engaging 
academic, industry and medical communities to collect feedback on and 
enable continued refinement of this Strategic Framework and future 
efforts.

Questions for Commenters

    The Health IT Working Group invites comments on the draft strategic 
framework. In particular, commenters should consider the following 
questions as they develop their responses:
     Are the central motivations appropriate and/or are there 
other issues that should be considered?
     Are the strategic needs appropriate and/or are there other 
priorities that should be considered?
     Are the collaboration opportunities identified in the 
draft framework appropriate and/or are there others that should be 
considered?


[[Page 24742]]


    Submitted by the National Science Foundation in support of the 
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development 
(NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) on May 24, 2017.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2017-11072 Filed 5-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P