[Federal Register: June 18, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 116)]
[Notices]               
[Page 28937]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jn09-29]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 
Health Information Technology Policy Committee; Notice of Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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    Authority:  Section 3002, Public Law 111-5, 123 Stat. 115.

SUMMARY: This notice invites comments, within ten (10) days of the June 
16, 2009, HIT Policy Committee (the ``Committee'') meeting, on the 
Committee's discussions of and draft recommendations for the term 
``meaningful use'' available at http://healthit.hhs.gov. Comments will 
be received by the Committee for consideration and further 
recommendations to the National Coordinator of Health Information 
Technology on the elements and measures of Meaningful Use of a 
certified EHR.
    The HIT Policy Committee is a Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) to 
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which will be 
meeting on June 16, 2009, to explore further the term ``meaningful 
use'' of electronic health records (EHRs). Announcement of this meeting 
was published in the Federal Register on June 4 (74 FR 26866). This 
meeting is an important next step for the Department, as it 
investigates possible definitions for the term meaningful use.
    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the ``Recovery 
Act'') (Pub. L. 111-5) provides for Medicare and Medicaid incentive 
payments for eligible providers, such as physicians and hospitals, in 
order to promote the adoption of EHRs. To receive the incentive 
payments, providers must demonstrate ``meaningful use'' of a certified 
EHR. Building upon the work of the HIT Policy Committee, HHS 
anticipates developing a proposed rule that provides greater detail on 
the incentive programs and ``meaningful use.'' HHS expects to issue the 
proposed rule in late 2009, which will be followed by a comment period.
    The HIT Policy Committee's Meaningful Use Workgroup will present 
its recommendations to the HIT Policy Committee at the Committee's June 
16, 2009 meeting. The Workgroup's presentation will reflect diverse 
ideas and contributions from the workgroup members, and build upon the 
National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) public 
hearing on ``meaningful use'' convened in April 2009. The NCVHS hearing 
brought together key healthcare and information technology stakeholder 
groups.

DATES: All comments on the draft description of Meaningful Use should 
be received no later than 5 p.m./Eastern Time on June 26, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Electronic responses to the request for comments on the 
draft description of Meaningful Use are preferred and should be 
addressed to: MeaningfulUse@hhs.gov, subject line ``Meaningful Use.'' 
Written comments may also be submitted to the Office of the National 
Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 200 Independence Ave, 
SW., Suite 729D, Washington, DC 20201. Attention: HIT Policy Committee 
Meaningful Use Comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cut and paste the link below in your 
browser. http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/
server.pt?open=512&objID=1269&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=8&mode=2
&in--hi--userid=10741&cached=true.
    For additional information, including any requests for a hard copy 
(or faxed copy) of the draft description of Meaningful Use, call or e-
mail Judith Sparrow, 202-205-4528, judy.sparrow@hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HIT Policy Committee requests comments 
on the draft description of Meaningful Use by June 26, 2009. We request 
that comments be no more than 2,000 words in length. Please send 
comments to the address, for receipt by the due date, specified above.

    Dated: June 15, 2009.
Judith Sparrow,
Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator 
for Health Information Technology.
[FR Doc. E9-14379 Filed 6-16-09; 11:15 am]

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