Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 51483 

ADDRESSES: Mary C. Switzer Building 

(330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20201), Conference Room 1114. Please 

use the C Street entrance closest to 3rd 

Street and bring photo ID for entry to a 

Federal building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/ 

confidentiality/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Workgroup Members will continue 

discussing and evaluating the 

confidentiality, privacy, and security 

protections and requirements for 

participants in electronic health 

information exchange environments. 

The meeting will be available via Web 

cast. For additional information, go to: 

http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/ 

cps_instruct.html. 

Dated: August 5, 2008. 

Judith Sparrow, 

Director, American Health Information 

Community, Office of Programs and 

Coordination, Office of the National 

Coordinator for Health Information 

Technology. 

[FR Doc. E8–20332 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–45–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Office of the National Coordinator for 

Health Information Technology; 

American Health Information 

Community Consumer Empowerment 

Workgroup Meeting 

ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

29th meeting of the American Health 

Information Community Consumer 

Empowerment Workgroup in 

accordance with the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 

U.S.C., App.). 

DATES: September 16, 2008, from 1 p.m. 

to 4 p.m. [Eastern]. 

ADDRESSES: Mary C. Switzer Building 

(330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20201), Conference Room 1114. Please 

use the C Street entrance closest to 3rd 

Street and bring photo ID for entry to a 

Federal building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/ 

consumer/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Workgroup will continue its discussion 

on how to encourage the widespread 

adoption of a personal health record 

that is easy-to-use, portable, 

longitudinal, affordable, and consumercentered. 

The meeting will be available via Web 

cast. For additional information, go to: 

http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/ 

consumer/ce_instruct.html. 

Dated: August 5, 2008. 

Judith Sparrow, 

Director, American Health Information 

Community, Office of Programs and 

Coordination, Office of the National 

Coordinator for Health Information 

Technology. 

[FR Doc. E8–20333 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–45–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Office of the National Coordinator for 

Health Information Technology; 

American Health Information 

Community Population Health and 

Clinical Care Connections Workgroup 

Meeting 

ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

30th meeting of the American Health 

Information Community Population 

Health and Clinical Care Connections 

Workgroup in accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. 

L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., App.) 

DATES: September 17, 2008, from 2 p.m. 

to 5 p.m. [Eastern Time]. 

ADDRESSES: Mary C. Switzer Building 

(330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20201), Conference Room 1114. Please 

use the C Street entrance closest to 3rd 

Street and bring photo ID for entry to a 

Federal building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: http:// 

www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic/population/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Workgroup will continue its discussion 

on how to facilitate the flow of reliable 

health information among population 

health and clinical care systems 

necessary to protect and improve the 

public’s health. The meeting will be 

available via Web cast. For additional 

information, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/ 

healthit/ahic/population/ 

pop_instruct.html. 

Dated: August 5, 2008. 

Judith Sparrow, 

Director, American Health Information 

Community, Office of Programs and 

Coordination, Office of the National 

Coordinator for Health Information 

Technology. 

[FR Doc. E8–20334 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–45–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Toxicology Program (NTP) 

Center for the Evaluation of Risks to 

Human Reproduction (CERHR) 

Announces the Availability of the NTP– 

CERHR Monograph on Bisphenol A 

AGENCY: National Institute of 

Environmental Health Sciences 

(NIEHS), National Institutes of Health 

(NIH). 

ACTION: Availability of the NTP–CERHR 

Monograph on Bisphenol A. 

SUMMARY: In December 2005, the CERHR 

announced its intention to conduct an 

evaluation of the potential for bisphenol 

A to cause adverse effects on 

reproduction and development in 

humans (Federal Register: December 21, 

2005: Vol. 70, No. 244, page 75827). The 

final results of this evaluation are now 

available in the NTP–CERHR 

Monograph on Bisphenol A that 

includes the (1) NTP Brief on Bisphenol 

A and (2) CERHR Expert Panel Report 

on the Reproductive and Developmental 

Toxicity of Bisphenol A. The NTP Brief 

provides the public, as well as 

government health, regulatory, and 

research agencies, with the NTP’s 

conclusions regarding the potential for 

bisphenol A to adversely affect human 

reproductive health or children’s 

development. The NTP Brief is based on 

information about bisphenol A provided 

in the expert panel report, public 

comments, comments from peer 

reviewers of the draft NTP Brief, and 

additional scientific information 

available since the expert panel 

meeting. 

DATES: The NTP–CERHR Monograph on 

Bisphenol A will be available on 

September 3, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: The NTP–CERHR 

Monograph on the Potential Human 

Reproductive and Developmental 

Effects of Bisphenol A is now available 

electronically on the CERHR Web site 

(http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov see ‘‘Now 

Available’’) or on CD or in printed text 

from the CERHR by contacting Dr. 

Michael D. Shelby, CERHR Director, 

NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MC EC–32, 

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 

(mail), 919–316–4511 (fax), or 

shelby@niehs.nih.gov (e-mail). Courier 

address: CERHR, 79 T.W. Alexander 

Drive, Building 4401, Room 103, 

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 

Additional information related to the 

evaluation of bisphenol A, including the 

peer review report for the NTP Brief and 

all public comments received during the 

course of the evaluation, are available 

on the CERHR Web site (see Bisphenol 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
51484 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 

A under ‘‘CERHR Reports & 

Monographs’’ or directly at http:// 

cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/ 

bisphenol/bisphenol-eval.html.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background Information on Bisphenol 

A 

Bisphenol A (CAS RN: 80–05–7) is a 

high production volume chemical used 

primarily in the production of 

polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. 

Polycarbonate plastics are used in some 

food and drink containers; the resins are 

used as lacquers to coat metal products 

such as food cans, bottle tops, and water 

supply pipes. To a lesser extent 

bisphenol A is used in the production 

of polyester resins, polysulfone resins, 

polyacrylate resins, and flame 

retardants. In addition, bisphenol A is 

used in the processing of polyvinyl 

chloride plastic. Some polymers used in 

dental sealants and composites may 

contribute to bisphenol A exposures. 

The primary source of exposure to 

bisphenol A for most people is assumed 

to occur through the diet. The highest 

estimated daily intakes of bisphenol A 

in the general population occur in 

infants and children. CERHR selected 

bisphenol A for evaluation because of 

(1) widespread human exposure, (2) 

public concern for possible health 

effects, (3) high production volume, and 

(4) evidence of reproductive and 

developmental toxicity in laboratory 

animal studies. 

Background Information on the CERHR 

The NTP established CERHR in 1998 

(Federal Register: December 14, 1998: 

Vol. 63, No. 239, page 68782). CERHR 

is a publicly accessible resource for 

information about adverse reproductive 

and/or developmental health effects 

associated with exposure to 

environmental and/or occupational 

exposures. CERHR follows a formal 

process for the evaluation of selected 

chemicals that includes opportunities 

for public input. 

CERHR invites the nomination of 

agents for review or scientists for its 

expert registry. Information about 

CERHR and the nomination process can 

be obtained from its homepage (http:// 

cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) or by contacting Dr. 

Michael Shelby, CERHR Director (see 

ADDRESSES). CERHR selects chemicals 

for evaluation based upon several 

factors including production volume, 

potential for human exposure from use 

and occurrence in the environment, 

extent of public concern, and extent of 

data from reproductive and 

developmental toxicity studies. Expert 

panels conduct scientific evaluations of 

agents selected by CERHR in public 

forums. Following these evaluations, 

CERHR prepares the NTP–CERHR 

monograph on the agent evaluated. The 

monograph is transmitted to appropriate 

federal and state agencies and made 

available to the public. 

Dated: August 20, 2008. 

Samuel H. Wilson, 

Acting Director, National Institute of 

Environmental Health Sciences and National 

Toxicology Program. 

[FR Doc. E8–20297 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality, HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

intention of the Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request 

that the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approve the proposed 

information collection project: ‘‘Study 

of Factors Influencing Consumer 

Choices Among Health Plans and 

Clinicians.’’ In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public 

to comment on this proposed 

information collection. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by November 3, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 

Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by 

email at doris.lefkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

Copies of the proposed collection 

plans, data collection instruments, and 

specific details on the estimated burden 

can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports 

Clearance Officer. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports 

Clearance Officer, (301) 427–1477, or by 

e-mail at doris.lefkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project 

‘‘Study of Factors Influencing 

Consumer Choices Among Health Plans 

and Clinicians’’ 

This study will use an experimental 

design to determine factors that 

influence consumer understanding and 

use of performance information to select 

among health plans and clinicians. 

Performance reports on health plans and 

individual providers have become 

increasingly available in recent years, 

but there is little evidence regarding 

how consumers understand and use 

different types of performance 

information to make choices. 

The study will include two parallel 

experiments, one designed to assess 

factors influencing choice of health 

plans and one designed to assess factors 

influencing choice of individual 

doctors. Both experiments will present 

a panel of online consumers with a 

simulated Web-based performance 

report. Study subjects will answer a 

series of pre-test questions, and then be 

directed to a Web site with a simulated 

report (for either health plans or 

doctors) where they will view various 

types of performance information, go 

through the process of selecting either a 

health plan or a doctor, and then 

complete the experiment by answering 

a series of post-test questions about how 

they made their selection. 

The categories of performance 

information to be included in the Web 

reports will be derived from patient 

experience survey results using 

Consumer Assessment of Healthcare 

Providers and Systems (CAHPS) 

composite measures, clinical process 

measures, personal anecdotes based on 

patient or enrollee experiences, and the 

frequency of different types of enrollee 

complaints or grievances (in the plan 

experiment only). 

The results of this study will be used 

to develop recommendations for helping 

consumers to better understand and 

more effectively use complex 

information to select health plans and 

providers, with the aim of making 

performance information less 

burdensome and more accessible, 

useful, and transparent to the public. 

The simulated Web-based reports will 

be made available as examples for other 

report developers to use. This study is 

being conducted pursuant to AHRQ’s 

statutory mandate to promote health 

care quality improvement by conducting 

and supporting research that develops 

and presents scientific evidence 

regarding all aspects of health care, 42 

U.S.C. 299(b)(1), and to conduct 

research on health care and on systems 

for the delivery of such health care, 42 

U.S.C. 299a. 

Method of Collection 

Participants in this study will be 

recruited through the Knowledge 

Networks national online panel of 

consumers. For both the health plan and 

clinician choice experiments, study 

subjects will be randomly assigned to 

one of several arms (described below) 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES