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February 18, 2002

Dept of Health and Human Services Creates Council to Improve Security, Safety, and Quality of Health Care Tommy Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, recently appointed a new council to respond to health security challenges confronting the nation.The newly created Council on Private Sector Initiatives to Improve the Security, Safety, and Quality of Health Care will act as a single point of contact for private sector parties seeing review of innovative ideas. The Council will be led by Dr. John Eisenberg, head of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (“AHRQ”).

“The Council will review requests from private individuals and firms seeking to improve security, safety and the quality of the health care delivery system”

Membership on the council will include representation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness. Representatives from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs will also provide coordination.The Council will review requests from private individuals and firms seeking review of ideas for improving the security,safety, and quality of the health care delivery system. While requests falling within the jurisdiction of a single agency will be simply referred for consideration and feedback, requests that involve the coordination of multiple agencies will be considered by the Council for “prompt review and follow-up” to encourage private sector creativity.

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