§ 299b–6 — Coordination Of Federal Government Quality Improvement Efforts

(1) To avoid duplication and ensure that Federal resources are used efficiently and effectively, the Secretary, acting through the Director, shall coordinate all research, evaluations, and demonstrations related to health services research, quality measurement and quality improvement activities undertaken and supported by the Federal Government. (2) The Director, in collaboration with the appropriate Federal officials representing all concerned executive agencies and departments, shall develop and manage a process to— (A) improve interagency coordination, priority setting, and the use and sharing of research findings and data pertaining to Federal quality improvement programs, technology assessment, and health services research; (B) strengthen the research information infrastructure, including databases, pertaining to Federal health services research and health care quality improvement initiatives; (C) set specific goals for participating agencies and departments to further health services research and health care quality improvement; and (D) strengthen the management of Federal health care quality improvement programs. (1) To provide Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other relevant departments with an independent, external review of their quality oversight, quality improvement and quality research programs, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine— (A) to describe and evaluate current quality improvement, quality research and quality monitoring processes through— (i) an overview of pertinent health services research activities and quality improvement efforts conducted by all Federal programs, with particular attention paid to those under titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.]; and (ii) a summary of the partnerships that the Department of Health and Human Services has pursued with private accreditation, quality measurement and improvement organizations; and (B) to identify options and make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of quality improvement programs through— (i) the improved coordination of activities across the medicare, medicaid and child health insurance programs under titles XVIII, XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act and health services research programs; (ii) the strengthening of patient choice and participation by incorporating state-of-the-art quality monitoring tools and making information on quality available; and (iii) the enhancement of the most effective programs, consolidation as appropriate, and elimination of duplicative activities within various Federal agencies. (A) The Secretary shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine for the preparation— (i) not later than 12 months after December 6, 1999, of a report providing an overview of the quality improvement programs of the Department of Health and Human Services for the medicare, medicaid, and CHIP programs under titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act; and (ii) not later than 24 months after December 6, 1999, of a final report containing recommendations. (B) The Secretary shall submit the reports described in subparagraph (A) to the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives.