2436 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 10 / Friday, January 14, 2022 / Notices 

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 

System, January 11, 2022. 

Michele Taylor Fennell, 

Deputy Associate Secretary of the Board. 

[FR Doc. 2022–00696 Filed 1–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6210–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Patient Safety Organizations: Expired 

Listing for Emergency Medical Error 

Reduction Group PSO 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality (AHRQ), Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS). 

ACTION: Notice of delisting. 

SUMMARY: The Patient Safety and 

Quality Improvement Final Rule 

(Patient Safety Rule) authorizes AHRQ, 

on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list 

as a patient safety organization (PSO) an 

entity that attests that it meets the 

statutory and regulatory requirements 

for listing. A PSO can be ‘‘delisted’’ by 

the Secretary if it is found to no longer 

meet the requirements of the Patient 

Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 

2005 (Patient Safety Act) and Patient 

Safety Rule, when a PSO chooses to 

voluntarily relinquish its status as a 

PSO for any reason, or when a PSO’s 

listing expires. The listing for 

Emergency Medical Error Reduction 

Group PSO, PSO number P0133, has 

expired and AHRQ has delisted the PSO 

accordingly. 

DATES: The delisting was effective at 

12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on November 

27, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: The directories for both 

listed and delisted PSOs are ongoing 

and reviewed weekly by AHRQ. Both 

directories can be accessed 

electronically at the following HHS 

website: http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/listed. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cathryn Bach, Center for Quality 

Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ, 

5600 Fishers Lane, MS 06N100B, 

Rockville, MD 20857; Telephone (toll 

free): (866) 403–3697; Telephone (local): 

(301) 427–1111; TTY (toll free): (866) 

438–7231; TTY (local): (301) 427–1130; 

Email: pso@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Patient Safety Act, 42 U.S.C. 

299b–21 to 299b–26, and the related 

Patient Safety Rule, 42 CFR part 3, 

published in the Federal Register on 

November 21, 2008 (73 FR 70732– 

70814), establish a framework by which 

individuals and entities that meet the 

definition of provider in the Patient 

Safety Rule may voluntarily report 

information to PSOs listed by AHRQ, on 

a privileged and confidential basis, for 

the aggregation and analysis of patient 

safety events. 

The Patient Safety Act authorizes the 

listing of PSOs, which are entities or 

component organizations whose 

mission and primary activity are to 

conduct activities to improve patient 

safety and the quality of health care 

delivery. 

HHS issued the Patient Safety Rule to 

implement the Patient Safety Act. 

AHRQ administers the provisions of the 

Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety 

Rule relating to the listing and operation 

of PSOs. The Patient Safety Rule 

authorizes AHRQ to list as a PSO an 

entity that attests that it meets the 

statutory and regulatory requirements 

for listing. A PSO can be ‘‘delisted’’ if 

it is found to no longer meet the 

requirements of the Patient Safety Act 

and Patient Safety Rule, when a PSO 

chooses to voluntarily relinquish its 

status as a PSO for any reason, or when 

a PSO’s listing expires. Section 3.108(d) 

of the Patient Safety Rule requires 

AHRQ to provide public notice when it 

removes an organization from the list of 

PSOs. 

Section 3.104(e)(1) of the Patient 

Safety Rule specifies that a PSO’s 

listing, unless revoked or relinquished 

earlier, automatically expires at 

midnight of the last day of the threeyear listing period if, prior to this 

deadline, the required certifications for 

a new three-year listing are not 

submitted by the PSO and accepted by 

AHRQ. These conditions were not met. 

Accordingly, Emergency Medical Error 

Reduction Group PSO was delisted 

effective at 12:00 Midnight ET (2400) on 

November 27, 2021. 

More information on PSOs can be 

obtained through AHRQ’s PSO website 

at http://www.pso.ahrq.gov. 

Dated: January 10, 2022. 

Marquita Cullom, 

Associate Director. 

[FR Doc. 2022–00663 Filed 1–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Solicitation for Nominations for 

Members of the U.S. Preventive 

Services Task Force (USPSTF) 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality (AHRQ), HHS. 

ACTION: Solicits nominations for new 

members of the USPSTF. 

SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites 

nominations of individuals qualified to 

serve as members of the U.S. Preventive 

Services Task Force (USPSTF). 

DATES: Nominations must be received 

electronically by March 15th of a given 

year to be considered for appointment to 

begin in January of the following year. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your responses 

electronically via: https://uspstf

nominations.ahrq.gov/register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lydia Hill at (301) 427–1587 or 

coordinator@uspstf.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Arrangement for Public Inspection 

Nominations and applications are 

kept on file at the Center for Evidence 

and Practice Improvement, AHRQ, and 

are available for review during business 

hours. AHRQ does not reply to 

individual nominations, but considers 

all nominations in selecting members. 

Information regarded as private and 

personal, such as a nominee’s social 

security number, home and email 

addresses, home telephone and fax 

numbers, or names of family members 

will not be disclosed to the public in 

accord with the Freedom of Information 

Act. 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6); 45 CFR 5.31(f). 

Nomination Submissions 

Nominations must be submitted 

electronically, and should include: 

1. The applicant’s current curriculum 

vitae and contact information, including 

mailing address, and email address; and 

2. A letter explaining how this 

individual meets the qualification 

requirements and how he or she would 

contribute to the USPSTF. The letter 

should also attest to the nominee’s 

willingness to serve as a member of the 

USPSTF. 

AHRQ will later ask people under 

serious consideration for USPSTF 

membership to provide detailed 

information that will permit evaluation 

of possible significant conflicts of 

interest. Such information will concern 

matters such as financial holdings, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 10 / Friday, January 14, 2022 / Notices 2437 

consultancies, non-financial scientific 

interests, and research grants or 

contracts. 

To obtain a diversity of perspectives, 

AHRQ particularly encourages 

nominations of women, members of 

underrepresented populations, and 

persons with disabilities. Interested 

individuals can nominate themselves. 

Organizations and individuals may 

nominate one or more people qualified 

for membership on the USPSTF at any 

time. Individuals nominated prior to 

March 15, 2021, who continue to have 

interest in serving on the USPSTF 

should be re-nominated. 

Qualification Requirements 

To qualify for the USPSTF and 

support its mission, an applicant or 

nominee should, at a minimum, 

demonstrate knowledge, expertise, and 

national leadership in the following 

areas: 

1. The critical evaluation of research 

published in peer-reviewed literature 

and in the methods of evidence review; 

2. Clinical prevention, health 

promotion and primary health care; and 

3. Implementation of evidence-based 

recommendations in clinical practice 

including at the clinician-patient level, 

practice level, and health-system level. 

Additionally, the Task Force benefits 

from members with expertise in the 

following areas: 

D Public Health 

D Health Equity and The Reduction of 

Health Disparities 

D Application of Science to Health 

Policy 

D Decision modeling 

D Dissemination and Implementation 

D Behavioral Medicine/Clinical Health 

Psychology 

D Communication of Scientific Findings 

to Multiple Audiences Including 

Health Care Professionals, Policy 

Makers, and the General Public 

Candidates with experience and skills 

in any of these areas should highlight 

them in their nomination materials. 

Applicants must have no substantial 

conflicts of interest, whether financial, 

professional, or intellectual, that would 

impair the scientific integrity of the 

work of the USPSTF and must be 

willing to complete regular conflict of 

interest disclosures. 

Applicants must have the ability to 

work collaboratively with a team of 

diverse professionals who support the 

mission of the USPSTF. Applicants 

must have adequate time to contribute 

substantively to the work products of 

the USPSTF. 

Nominee Selection 

Nominated individuals will be 

selected for the USPSTF on the basis of 

how well they meet the required 

qualifications and the current expertise 

needs of the USPSTF. It is anticipated 

that new members will be invited to 

serve on the USPSTF beginning in 

January, 2023. All nominated 

individuals will be considered; 

however, strongest consideration will be 

given to individuals with demonstrated 

training and expertise in the areas of 

Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and 

Advanced Practice Nursing. AHRQ will 

retain and may consider for future 

vacancies nominations received this 

year and not selected during this cycle. 

Some USPSTF members without 

primary health care clinical experience 

may be selected based on their expertise 

in methodological issues such as metaanalysis, analytic modeling, or clinical 

epidemiology. For individuals with 

clinical expertise in primary health care, 

additional qualifications in 

methodology would enhance their 

candidacy. 

Background 

Under Title IX of the Public Health 

Service Act, AHRQ is charged with 

enhancing the quality, appropriateness, 

and effectiveness of health care services 

and access to such services. 42 U.S.C. 

299(b). AHRQ accomplishes these goals 

through scientific research and 

promotion of improvements in clinical 

practice, including clinical prevention 

of diseases and other health conditions. 

See 42 U.S.C. 299(b). 

The USPSTF, an independent body of 

experts in prevention and evidencebased medicine, works to improve the 

health of all Americans by making 

evidence-based recommendations about 

the effectiveness of clinical preventive 

services and health promotion. The 

recommendations made by the USPSTF 

address clinical preventive services for 

adults and children, and include 

screening tests, counseling services, and 

preventive medications. 

The USPSTF was first established in 

1984 under the auspices of the U.S. 

Public Health Service. Currently, the 

USPSTF is convened by the Director of 

AHRQ, and AHRQ provides ongoing 

scientific, administrative, and 

dissemination support for the USPSTF’s 

operation. See 42 U.S.C. 299b–4(a)(1). 

USPSTF members are invited to serve 

four year terms. New members are 

selected each year to replace those 

members who are completing their 

appointments. 

The USPSTF rigorously evaluates the 

effectiveness of clinical preventive 

services and formulating or updating 

recommendations regarding the 

appropriate provision of preventive 

services. Current USPSTF 

recommendations and associated 

evidence reviews are available on the 

internet (www.uspreventiveservices

taskforce.org). 

USPSTF members meet three times a 

year for two days in the Washington, DC 

area or virtually if necessary. A 

significant portion of the USPSTF’s 

work occurs between meetings during 

conference calls and via email 

discussions. Member duties include 

prioritizing topics, designing research 

plans, reviewing and commenting on 

systematic evidence reviews, discussing 

evidence and making recommendations 

on preventive services, reviewing 

stakeholder comments, drafting final 

recommendation documents, and 

participating in workgroups on specific 

topics and methods. Members can 

expect to receive frequent emails, can 

expect to participate in multiple 

conference calls each month, and can 

expect to have periodic interaction with 

stakeholders. AHRQ estimates that 

members devote approximately 200 

hours a year outside of in-person 

meetings to their USPSTF duties. The 

members are all volunteers and do not 

receive any compensation beyond 

support for travel to attend the thrice 

yearly meetings and trainings. 

Dated: January 7, 2022. 

Marquita Cullom, 

Associate Director. 

[FR Doc. 2022–00488 Filed 1–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Notice of Closed Meeting 

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended, notice is hereby given of the 

following meeting. 

The meeting will be closed to the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions set forth in sections 

552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., 

as amended, and the Determination of 

the Director, Strategic Business 

Initiatives Unit, Office of the Chief 

Operating Officer, CDC, pursuant to 

Public Law 92–463. The grant 

applications and the discussions could 

disclose confidential trade secrets or 

commercial property such as patentable 

material, and personal information 

concerning individuals associated with 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1