[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60753-60754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27412]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Establishment of the Health Information Technology Advisory 
Committee

AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology (ONC), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of establishment meeting dates of the Health Information 
Technology Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) 
is established in accordance with section 4003(e) of the 21st Century 
Cures Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Health 
information Technology Advisory Committee, among other things, shall 
identify priorities for standards adoption and make recommendations to 
the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (National 
Coordinator) on a policy framework to advance an interoperable health 
information technology infrastructure. The HITAC will hold public 
meetings throughout 2018 with its first public meeting scheduled for 
January 18, 2018, from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./Eastern 
Time at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC 
20008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Richie, Designated Federal 
Officer, at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4003(e) of the 21st Century Cures 
Act (Pub. L. 114-255) establishes the Health Information Technology 
Advisory Committee (referred to as the ``HITAC''). The HITAC will be 
governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(Pub. L. 92-463), as amended (5 U.S.C. App .), which sets forth 
standards for the formation and use of federal advisory committees.

Composition

    The HITAC is comprised of at least 25 members, of which:

     No fewer than 2 members are advocates for patients or 
consumers of health information technology;
     3 members are appointed by the HHS Secretary
    [cir] 1 of whom shall be appointed to represent the Department of 
Health and Human Services and
    [cir] 1 of whom shall be a public health official;
     2 members are appointed by the majority leader of the 
Senate;
     2 members are appointed by the minority leader of the 
Senate;
     2 members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives;
     2 members are appointed by the minority leader of the 
House of Representatives; and
     Other members are appointed by the Comptroller General of 
the United States.
    Introductory members will serve for one-, two-, or three-year 
terms. All members may be reappointed for subsequent three-year terms. 
Each member is limited to two three-year terms, not to exceed six years 
of service. After establishment, members shall be appointed for a three 
year term. Members serve without pay, but will be provided per-diem and 
travel costs for committee services.

Recommendations

    The HITAC shall recommend to the National Coordinator a policy 
framework for adoption by the Secretary consistent with the strategic 
plan under section 3001(c)(3) for advancing following target areas: (1) 
Achieving a health information technology infrastructure that allows 
for the electronic access, exchange, and use of health information; (2) 
the promotion and protection of privacy and security of health 
information in health information technology; (3) the facilitation of 
secure access by an individual to such individual's protected health 
information; and (4) any other target area that the HITAC identifies as 
an appropriate target area to be considered. Such policy framework 
shall seek to prioritize achieving advancements in these target areas 
and may incorporate policy recommendations made by the HIT Policy 
Committee, as in existence before the date of the enactment of the 21st 
Century Cures Act.

Public Meetings

    The first public meeting of the HITAC will be held on January 18, 
2018, from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./Eastern Time at the 
Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC 20008. 
Subsequently, the remainder of the meetings to be held in 2018 is 
scheduled as follows:

 February 21, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m.. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 March 21, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 April 18, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20008
 May 16, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a .m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 June 20, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 September 5, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20008
 October 17, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)
 November 14, 2018 from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m./
Eastern Time (virtual meeting)

    All meetings are open to the public. For web conference 
instructions and the most up-to-date information, please visit the 
HITAC calendar on the ONC website, http://www.healthit.gov/FACAS/calendar.
    Contact Person for Meetings: Lauren Richie, [email protected]. 
A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that 
impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always 
be published quickly enough to provide timely notice. Please email 
Lauren Richie for the most current information about meetings.
    Agenda: The committee will take care of administrative matters and 
hear reports from ONC. ONC intends to make background material 
available to the public no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting 
start time. If ONC is unable to post the background material on its 
website prior to the meeting, it will be made publicly available at the 
location of the advisory committee meeting, and the background material 
will be posted on ONC's website after the meeting, at http://www.healthit.gov/hitac.
    Procedure: Interested persons may present data, information, or 
views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the Committee. 
Written submissions may be made to the contact person prior to the 
meeting date. An oral public comment period will be scheduled at each 
meeting. Time allotted for each presentation will be limited to three 
minutes. If the number of speakers requesting to comment is greater 
than can be reasonably accommodated during the scheduled public comment 
period, ONC will take written comments after the meeting.

[[Page 60754]]

    Persons attending ONC's HITAC meetings are advised that the agency 
is not responsible for providing wireless access or access to 
electrical outlets.
    ONC welcomes the attendance of the public at its HITAC meetings. 
Seating is limited at the location, and ONC will make every effort to 
accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you 
require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact 
Lauren Richie at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.
    Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App. 2).

    Dated: December 13, 2017.
Lauren Richie,
Office of Policy, Office of the National Coordinator for Health 
Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2017-27412 Filed 12-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4150-45-P