113 STAT. 1662 PUBLIC LAW 106-129—DEC. 6, 1999 Contracts. Contracts. Deadline. Reports. "(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. " (b) STUDY BY THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— 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; 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. " (2) REQUIREMENTS.— "(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine for the preparation— "(i) not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this title, 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
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