103 STAT. 2192 PUBLIC LAW 101-239—DEC. 19, 1989 and Drugs, and the heads of any other interested Federal department or agency. "PART B—FORUM FOR QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN HEALTH CARE 42 USC 299b. " SEC. 911. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE. "There is established within the Agency an office to be known as the Office of the Forum for Quality and Effectiveness in Health Care. The office shall be headed by a director, who shall be ap- pointed by the Administrator. 42 USC 299b-l. "SEC. 912. DUTIES. " (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FoRUM PROGRAM.— The Administrator, acting through the Director, shall establish a program to be known as the Forum for Quality and Effectiveness in Health Care. For the purpose of promoting the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health care, the Director, using the process set forth in section 913, shall arrange for the development and periodic review and updating of— "(1) clinically relevant guidelines that may be used by physi- cians, educators, and health care practitioners to assist in deter- ' ^*' mining how diseases, disorders, and other health conditions can most effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, and managed clinically; and "(2) standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria through which health care providers and other appropriate entities may assess or review the provision of health care and assure the quality of such care. "(b) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS. —Guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria under subsection (a) shall— "(1) be based on the best available research and professional judgment regarding the effectiveness and appropriateness of health care services and procedures; "(2) be presented in formats appropriate for use by physicians, health care practitioners, providers, medical educators, and medical review organizations and in formats appropriate for use by consumers of health care; and "(3) include treatment-specific or condition-specific practice guidelines for clinical treatments and conditions in forms appro- priate for use in clinical practice, for use in educational pro- grams, and for use in reviewing quality and appropriateness of medical care. "(c) AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTS.—In canning out this part, the Director may enter into contracts with public or nonprofit private entities. "(d) DATE CERTAIN FOR INITIAL GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS. —The Administrator, by not later than January 1, 1991, shall assure the development of an initial set of guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria under subsection (a) that includes not less than 3 clinical treatments or conditions described in section 1142(a)(3) of the Social Security Act. "(e) RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDICARE PROGRAM. —To assure an appropriate reflection of the needs and priorities of the program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, activities under this part that affect such program shall be conducted consistent with section 1142 of such Act.
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