(C) A recommendation for a common lexi-
con for computer technology.
(2) SUBSEQUENT
REPORTS.—During each of
the 2 years after the year in which the report is sub-
mitted under paragraph (1), the MITAB shall sub-
mit to Congress and the Secretary an annual report
relating to additional recommendations, best prac-
tices, results of information technology improve-
ments, analyses of private sector efforts to imple-
ment the interoperability standards established in
section 1185 of the Social Security Act, and such
other matters as may help ensure the most rapid
dissemination of best practices in health care infor-
mation technology.
(d) GOALS.—The goals described in this subsection
are the following:
(1) To maximize positive outcomes in clinical
care—
(A) by providing decision support for diag-
nosis and care; and
(B) by assisting in the emergency treat-
ment of a patient presenting at a facility where
there is no medical record of the patient.
(2) To contribute to (and be consistent with)
the development of the patient assessment instru-
ment provided for under section 545 of the Medi-
care, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement
and Protection Act of 2000 (as enacted into law by
section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106–554), and to as-
sist in minimizing the need for new and different
records as patients move from provider to provider.
(3) To reduce or eliminate the need for redun-
dant records, paperwork, and the repetitive taking of
patient histories and administering of tests.
(4) To minimize medical errors, such as admin-
istration of contraindicated drugs.
(5) To promote and ensure access to best prac-
tices of medicine through support of research across
institutions.
(6) To provide a compatible information tech-
nology architecture that facilitates future quality
and cost-saving needs and that avoids the financing
and development of information technology systems
that are not readily compatible.
(e) STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES.—
(1) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—
(A) APPOINTMENT.—The Chairman shall
appoint an executive director of the MITAB.
(B) COMPENSATION.—The executive direc-
tor shall be paid the rate of basic pay for level
V of the Executive Schedule.
(2) STAFF.—With the approval of the MITAB,
the executive director may appoint such personnel as
the executive director considers appropriate.
(3) APPLICABILITY OF CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.—
The staff of the MITAB shall be appointed without
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States
Code, governing appointments in the competitive
service, and shall be paid without regard to the pro-
visions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter
53 of such title (relating to classification and Gen-
eral Schedule pay rates).
(4) EXPERTS
AND
CONSULTANTS.—With the
approval of the MITAB, the executive director may
procure temporary and intermittent services under
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(5) PHYSICAL FACILITIES.—The Administrator
of the General Services Administration shall locate
suitable office space for the operation of the
MITAB. The facilities shall serve as the head-
quarters of the MITAB and shall include all nec-
essary equipment and incidentals required for the
proper functioning of the MITAB.
(f) POWERS.—
(1) HEARINGS
AND
OTHER
ACTIVITIES.—For
the purpose of carrying out its duties, the MITAB
may hold such hearings and undertake such other
activities as the MITAB determines to be necessary
to carry out its duties.
(2) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Upon
the request of the MITAB, the head of any Federal
agency is authorized to detail, without reimburse-
ment, any of the personnel of such agency to the
MITAB to assist the MITAB in carrying out its du-
ties. Any such detail shall not interrupt or otherwise
affect the civil service status or privileges of the
Federal employee.
(3) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Upon the re-
quest of the MITAB, the head of a Federal agency
shall provide such technical assistance to the
MITAB as the MITAB determines to be necessary
to carry out its duties.
(4) USE OF MAILS.—The MITAB may use the
United States mails in the same manner and under
the same conditions as Federal agencies and shall,
for purposes of the frank, be considered a commis-
sion of Congress as described in section 3215 of title
39, United States Code.
(5) OBTAINING
INFORMATION.—The MITAB
may secure directly from any Federal agency infor-
mation necessary to enable it to carry out its duties,
if the information may be disclosed under section
552 of title 5, United States Code. Upon request of
the Chairman of the MITAB, the head of such agen-
cy shall furnish such information to the MITAB.
(6) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.—
Upon the request of the MITAB, the Administrator
of General Services shall provide to the MITAB on
a reimbursable basis such administrative support
services as the MITAB may request.
(7) PRINTING.—For purposes of costs relating
to printing and binding, including the cost of per-
sonnel detailed from the Government Printing Of-
fice, the MITAB shall be deemed to be a committee
of the Congress.
(g) TERMINATION.—The MITAB shall terminate 30
days after the date of submission of its final report under
subsection (c)(2).
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services such sums as are necessary
to carry out this section.
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