[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 164 (Thursday, August 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44034-44035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21000]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Public Meeting on the Development of Chronic Pain: Headache;
Clinical Practice Guideline
The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) announces a
public meeting to receive comments and information pertaining to the
development of the AHCPR-sponsored clinical practice guideline on
Chronic Pain: Headache. The guideline is being developed for AHCPR by
Duke University (Durham, North Carolina) with the assistance of a panel
of health care experts and consumers.
A notice announcing that AHCPR was arranging for the development of
this clinical practice guideline was published in the Federal Register
on December 27, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 246). That notice invited
nominations for experts and consumers to serve on the panel that is
developing the guideline.
A public meeting to provide an opportunity for interested parties
to contribute relevant information and comments, including research
findings in areas relevant to the guideline, will be held as follows:
Meeting: Chronic Pain: Headache.
Date: October 31, 1995.
From: 9:00 a.m.--12:00 p.m.
Location: Doubletree Hotel, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA
22202-9903.
Phone: (703) 416-4100.
Fax: (703) 416-4126.
Background
The AHCPR is charged, under Title IX of the Public Health Service
(PHS) Act, with enhancing the quality, appropriateness, and
effectiveness of health care services, and access to such services. The
AHCPR accomplishes its goals through the establishment of a broad base
of scientific research, and through the promotion of improvements in
clinical practice and in the organization, financing, and delivery of
health care services. (See 42 U.S.C. 299-299c-6 and 1320-12.)
In keeping with its legislative mandates, AHCPR arranges for the
development, periodic review, and update of clinically relevant
guidelines that may be used by physicians, nurses, other health care
providers, educators, and consumers to assist in determining how
diseases, disorders, and other health care conditions can most
effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, and
clinically managed. Medical review criteria, standards of quality, and
performance measures are then developed based on the guidelines
produced.
Section 912 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 299b-1(b)), as amended, requires
that the guidelines:
1. Be based on the best available research and professional
judgment;
2. Be presented in formats appropriate for use by physicians,
nurses, other health care providers, medical educators, medical review
organizations, and consumers;
3. Be presented in treatment-specific or condition-specific forms
appropriate for use in clinical practice, education programs, and
reviewing quality and appropriateness of medical care;
4. Include information on the risks and benefits of alternative
strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the
particular health condition(s); and
5. Include information on the costs of alternative strategies for
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the particular
health condition(s), where cost information is available and reliable.
Section 914 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 299b-3(a)), as amended,
identifies factors to be considered in establishing priorities for
guidelines, including the extent to which the guidelines would:
1. Improve methods for disease prevention;
2. Improve methods of diagnosis, treatment, and clinical
management, and thereby benefit a significant number of individuals;
3. Reduce clinically significant variations among clinicians in the
particular services and procedures utilized in making diagnoses and
providing treatment; and
4. Reduce clinically significant variations in the outcomes of
health care services and procedures.
Also, in accordance with Title IX of the PHS Act and section 1142
of the Social Security Act, the AHCPR Administrator is to assure that
the needs and priorities of the Medicare program are reflected
appropriately in the agenda and priorities for development of
guidelines and guideline updates.
Arrangements for the October 31, 1995 Public Meeting on Chronic
Pain: Headache
Representatives of organizations and other individuals are invited
to provide relevant written comments and information, and make a brief
(5 minutes or less) oral statement to the panel. Individuals and
representatives who would like to attend must register with Ms. Becky
Gray, Duke University, at the address set out below by October 10,
1995, and indicate whether they plan to make an oral statement. A
written copy of the oral statement, comments, and information should be
submitted to Ms. Gray by October 10, 1995. If more requests to make
oral statements are received than can be accommodated between 9:00 a.m.
and 12:00 p.m. on October 31, 1995, the chairperson will allocate
speaking time in a manner that ensures, to the extent possible, that a
range of views of health care professionals, consumers, and
pharmaceutical and product manufacturers are presented. Those who
cannot be granted their requested speaking time because of time
constraints are assured that their written comments will be considered
when
[[Page 44035]]
decisions regarding the AHCPR-sponsored guideline are made.
If sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation
for a disability is needed, please contact Ms. Gray by October 10,
1995, at the address below.
Registration should be made with, and written materials submitted
to: Becky Gray, Duke University, First Union Tower, 2200 West Main
Street, Suite 230, Durham, North Carolina 27705, Phone: (919) 286-3399,
Fax: (919) 286-5601.
For Additional Information
Additional information on the guideline development process is
contained in the AHCPR Program Note, ``Clinical Practice Guideline
Development,'' dated August 1993. This document describes AHCPR's
activities with respect to clinical practice guidelines including the
process and criteria for selecting panels. This document may be
obtained from the AHCPR Publications Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 8547,
Silver Spring, MD 20907; or call Toll-Free: 1-800-358-9295.
Also, information can be obtained by contacting Douglas B. Kamerow,
M.D., M.P.H., Director, Office of the Forum for Quality and
Effectiveness in Health Care, Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research, Willco Building, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 310,
Rockville, MD 20852, Phone 301-594-4015, Fax: 301-594-4027.
Dated: August 18, 1995.
Clifton R. Gaus,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-21000 Filed 8-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M