[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15945-15946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6688]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) 
Workshop for Laboratories Interested in the Testing of Health 
Information Technology (HIT) Electronic Health Record Technology

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program 
(NVLAP) will hold a public workshop on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at the 
Marriott Hotel, Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, located at 
9751 Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. The purpose of 
the workshop is the exchange of information among NVLAP, the NIST 
Information Technology Laboratory, the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS), laboratories interested in seeking NVLAP accreditation 
to perform Testing of Health Information Technology (HIT) electronic 
health record technology under the permanent certification program 
administered under the Office of the National Coordinator for Health 
Information Technology, HHS.

[[Page 15946]]

    There is no charge for the workshop; however, advanced registration 
is necessary. There will be no on-site, same-day registration. The 
deadline is Wednesday, April 20, 2011.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 from 9 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. Contact Beth Thomas at [email protected] or (301) 975-
4521 for pre-registration.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held in the Gaithersburg Marriott 
Washingtonian Center, 9751 Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD 
20878.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Leaman, (301) 975-4679, e-mail: 
[email protected]. The mailing address is 100 Bureau Drive, Mail 
Stop 2140, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2140. Information regarding NVLAP and 
the accreditation process can be viewed at http://www.nist.gov/nvlap.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to a request from the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Coordinator for 
Health Information Technology, the National Voluntary Laboratory 
Accreditation Program (NVLAP) is considering establishing an 
accreditation program for laboratories that test HIT electronic health 
record technology.
    NVLAP accreditation criteria are established in accordance with the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR, title 15, Part 285), NVLAP Procedures 
and General Requirements. To be accredited by NVLAP, laboratories 
conducting testing of HIT electronic health record technology will be 
required to meet ISO/IEC International Standard 17025, general 
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration 
laboratories. In addition, for each new LAP, NVLAP works with the 
affected testing community to develop program-specific technical 
requirements. These requirements tailor the general accreditation 
criteria referenced in Sections 4 and 5 of the NIST handbook 150 to the 
test and services in the new LAP. Program-specific requirements include 
the details of the scope of accreditation, test and measurement 
equipment, personnel requirements, validation of test methods, and 
reporting of test results.
    NVLAP accreditation does not imply any guarantee (certification) of 
laboratory performance or test/calibration data. NVLAP accreditation is 
a finding of laboratory competence.

    Dated: March 15, 2011.
Charles H. Romine,
Acting Associate Director for Laboratory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2011-6688 Filed 3-21-11; 8:45 am]
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