A process is underway to help shape the Nations health statistics system
for the 21st century. It is beginning with a dialog on future health and health
care trends, information and communications technology, and public policies. By
its end, this process will identify forces that will shape health information
needs and opportunities for the future, and will formulate a vision for the
future that will help guide policy and planning for health statistics programs.
The process is a partnership of the National Center for Health Statistics, the
National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, and the HHS Data
Council.Goals
The goals of the "21st Century Vision for Health Statistics" are to:
Develop a vision for the health statistics system. This vision will
be based on a broad view of future trends in health, health care, technology,
demographics, and social policy, and will document and articulate a clear
statement of the role health statistics can play in addressing these major
issues.
Describe and define the disciplines, components, resources, and
other elements that are needed to implement this vision, including the roles of
the public and private sectors and of organizations at the national, State, and
local levels.
Set
forth a clear set of criteria and a process for evaluating the health
statistics system and its individual components in the 21st century.
Anticipated Products
At the conclusion of this multiyear effort, the sponsors will publish a
consensus "vision" report that outlines health information needs,
priorities, and how these needs will be met, including the responsibilities of
public and private partners. Development of the vision report will also help
generate a body of published literature that reflects the best thinking on
critical issues facing the health statistics system, and that can be readily
referenced and cited. Building on papers commissioned for the vision process
and a synthesis of discussions and other input obtained throughout the vision
process, an edited volume on "21st Century Health Statistics" will be
published.
Summary of the Process
The development of a 21st Century Vision for Health Statistics is being
facilitated through a partnership of the National Center for Health Statistics
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS), the National Committee on
Vital and Health Statistics (the public advisory body on health statistics to
the Secretary of HHS), and the HHS Data Council (the internal HHS data
coordinating body).
The process seeks to bring
together a wide range of individuals and organizations with an interest in
health statistics, ranging from professionals involved in the health statistics
system itself to users of health statistics in policy, research, and practice
settings. To obtain input, a variety of mechanisms are being used including:
facilitated discussion sessions involving experts from various
fields; Federal, State, and local officials; data users; and other interested
parties;
workshops, including a November 1999 National Academy of
Sciences/Committee on National Statistics workshop;
expert papers commissioned to reflect on lessons learned from other
countries, from historical successes of selected health statistics efforts, and
from case studies of the extent to which recent policy deliberations were
adequately informed by statistics;
public hearings held by the National Committee on Vital and Health
Statistics; and
an
ongoing dialog about papers, documents, and products through a variety of
mechanisms, including publication for comment on vision-related Web sites. The
vision development process was initiated in 1999, and will span several years.
A final vision report will be available in Spring 2002.
Timeline:
November 1999-March 2000- Forums for input from local and State users of health
statistics
Spring 2000- Interim report released
Summer - Fall 2000- NCVHS regional hearings to obtain feedback on the interim
report
Winter 2001- Draft vision report
Spring 2002- Final vision report developed
Summer 2002- Edited volume published
A Work in Progress: What Weve Learned So
Far
Broad trends, opportunities, and directions. A
number of discussion groups have been convened to date.
Roles, definitions, and responsibilities in the health
statistics system. View
detailed summaries
of discussion groups by a group of experts on these issues.
Commissioned
papers. Five papers were commissioned by the National Committee on
Vital and Health Statistics. You may view a more detailed description of each
and (when available) read summaries or abstracts of completed papers or read
the full text of these documents.
How to Get Involved
Keep
up with our progress on this Web site:
Send
your suggestions or comment on draft documents at HSVISION@CDC.GOV
Follow the activities of
the NCVHS Subcommittee on Populations at http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov
Keep up with developments at NCHS at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs
Hold a discussion forum in your city or agency using our
meeting preparation workbook View/Download
PDF 9KB and other materials.
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