AHCPR National Advisory Council to Meet February 12

Media Advisory Date: February 6, 1998

The National Advisory Council (NAC) for Health Care Policy, Research, and Evaluation will meet on February 12, 1998. The Council provides advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) on matters related to AHCPR activities.

The NAC is composed of members of the public, appointed by the Secretary of HHS, and Federal ex-officio members. Members include health services researchers, health care providers, consumers, and policymakers. The Council is chaired by Harold S. Luft, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Policy Studies at the University of California School of Medicine.

The meeting will begin with an update on the status of current Agency funding, programs and initiatives. In addition to discussing strategic directions for the Agency, the Council will address the issue of protecting patient confidentiality while ensuring the accuracy of information used by researchers, identify priorities for research in improving the quality of health care, and discuss any implications the new authority, under the Food and Drug Administration's Bill, might have on AHCPR's research.

Copies of the meeting agenda will be available to members of the press prior to the meeting.

When: Thursday, February 12, 1998, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where:  Natcher Conference Center,
              National Institutes of Health,
              45 Center Drive, Conference Room D,
              Bethesda, MD 20857
Registration: No prior registration is required.

For additional information, please contact AHCPR Public Affairs: Salina V. Prasad, (301) 427-1864 (SPrasad@ahrq.gov).