Notice2021-28193
Request for Information (RFI) on Strengthening Community Health Through Technology
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 5, 2022
Issuing agencies
Science and Technology Policy Office
Abstract
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from community health stakeholders, technology developers, and other interested parties about how digital health technologies are used, or could be used in the future, to transform community health, individual wellness, and health equity. This request is part of an initiative led by OSTP dedicated to Community Connected Health--an effort that will explore and act upon how innovation in science and technology can lower the barriers for all Americans to accessing quality healthcare and lead healthier lives by meeting people where they are in their communities. We are particularly interested in information from community-based health settings and about populations traditionally underserved by healthcare. To support this effort, OSTP seeks information about: Successful models of strengthening community health through digital health technologies within the United States and abroad, barriers to uptake, trends from the COVID-19 pandemic, how user experience is measured, need for tools and training, ideas for potential government action, and effects on health equity.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 492-493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28193]
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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Request for Information (RFI) on Strengthening Community Health
Through Technology
AGENCY: White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
ACTION: Notice of RFI.
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SUMMARY: The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
requests input from community health stakeholders, technology
developers, and other interested parties about how digital health
technologies are used, or could be used in the future, to transform
community health, individual wellness, and health equity. This request
is part of an initiative led by OSTP dedicated to Community Connected
Health--an effort that will explore and act upon how innovation in
science and technology can lower the barriers for all Americans to
accessing quality healthcare and lead healthier lives by meeting people
where they are in their communities. We are particularly interested in
information from community-based health settings and about populations
traditionally underserved by healthcare. To support this effort, OSTP
seeks information about: Successful models of strengthening community
health through digital health technologies within the United States and
abroad, barriers to uptake, trends from the COVID-19 pandemic, how user
experience is measured, need for tools and training, ideas for
potential government action, and effects on health equity.
DATES: Interested persons and organizations are invited to submit
comments on or before 5:00 p.m. ET on February 28, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested individuals and organizations should submit
comments electronically to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4d7dbdadad1d7c0d1d0dcd1d5d8c0dcf4dbc7c0c49ad1dbc49ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9efdf1f0f0fbfdeafbfaf6fbfff2eaf6def1edeaeeb0fbf1eeb0f9f1e8">[email protected]</span></a> and include
``Connected Health RFI'' in the subject line of the email. While email
is preferred, brief voicemail messages may be left at 202-456-3030. Due
to time constraints, mailed paper submissions will not be accepted, and
electronic submissions received after the deadline cannot be ensured to
be incorporated or taken into consideration.
Instructions
Response to this RFI is voluntary. Each responding entity
(individual or organization) is requested to submit only one response.
OSTP welcomes responses to inform and guide policies and actions
related to strengthening community health through digital health
technologies. Please feel free to respond to one or as many prompts as
you choose. Please be concise with your submissions, which must not
exceed 3 pages in 12-point or larger font, with a page number provided
on each page. Responses should include the name of the person(s) or
organization(s) filing the comment. OSTP invites input from all
stakeholders including members of the public, representing all
backgrounds and perspectives. In particular, OSTP is interested in
input from community health workers (CHWs) and CHW organizations of all
kinds; social workers; maternal health workers; telehealth navigators;
peer recovery specialists; healthcare providers (please further
specify); faith and community-based organizations; community health
centers; State, local, tribal, and territorial governments; academic
researchers; technology developers; global partners; health insurance
providers; and individuals who have used, or are interested in using,
digital health technologies or telehealth services. Please indicate
which of these stakeholder type best fits you as a respondent. If a
comment is submitted on behalf of an organization, the individual
respondent's role in the organization may also be provided on a
voluntary basis. Comments containing references, studies, research, and
other empirical data that are not widely published should include
copies or electronic links of the referenced materials. No business
proprietary information, copyrighted information, or personally
identifiable information should be submitted in response to this RFI.
Please be aware that comments submitted in response to this RFI may be
posted on OSTP's website or otherwise released publicly.
In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.202(3),
responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the
Federal Government to form a binding contract. Additionally, those
submitting responses are solely responsible for all expenses associated
with response preparation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please
direct questions to Jacqueline Ward at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#debdb1b0b0bbbdaabbbab6bbbfb2aab69eb1adaaaef0bbb1aef0b9b1a8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="71121e1f1f14120514151914101d0519311e0205015f141e015f161e07">[email protected]</span></a> or
leave by voicemail at 202-456-3030.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: Despite decades of investment in the digital health
ecosystem, the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated continuing, substantial
limitations in the U.S. healthcare systems, including profound
disparities in healthcare and associated poorer health outcomes within
certain communities. Yet the pandemic has also provided an opportunity
for innovation in healthcare delivery across the U.S. and
internationally, particularly in community-based settings. As part of
OSTP's mission to maximize the benefits of science and technology to
advance health and our charge to drive innovation in healthcare and
improve health for all Americans, we are seeking
[[Page 493]]
information and comments about how digital health technologies are
used, or could be used in the future, to improve community health,
individual wellness, and health equity. Community health, defined as
the collective influence of socioeconomic factors, physical
environment, health behaviors, and availability of quality clinical
care services, serves as one of the most important drivers of health
and wellness for all Americans. This request is part of an initiative
dedicated to Community Connected Health--an effort that will explore
and act upon how innovation in science and technology can lower the
barriers to access quality healthcare and lead healthier lives by
meeting people where they are in their communities.
Scope and terminology: OSTP invites input from all interested
parties as outlined in the instructions. The term `digital health
technologies' should be interpreted broadly as any tool or set of tools
that improve health or enable better healthcare delivery by connecting
people with other people, with data, or with health information.
Examples of this include but are not limited to: Telehealth, remote
patient monitoring devices, health trackers, mobile devices (e.g.,
smart phones, tablets), mobile health apps, and technologies for
managing health information including electronic health records.
Information Requested: Respondents may provide information for one
or as many topics below as they choose.
1. Successful models within the U.S.: Descriptions of innovative
examples or models of how community health providers within the United
States successfully use digital health technology to deliver
healthcare, enable healthier lifestyles, or reduce health disparities.
This can include: The key features of the organizations and/or the
digital health technologies that have been most successful, what is
needed to support the scale up beyond individual organizations,
examples of best practices, examples of important user protections to
institute (e.g., privacy best practices), examples of positive user
experiences, metrics or measurement strategies of how community health
providers measure outcomes or success, and creative ideas or models
that may be in nascent stages.
2. Barriers: Specific descriptions of the current barriers faced by
individuals or organizations to the use of digital health technologies
in community-based settings. It would be very helpful for respondents
to indicate how these barriers may align to the following broad
categories: Technical (including broadband access), training, costs,
reimbursement/policies, buy-in across organization or community, user
education/comfort, or other. In the case of barriers that include user
comfort/willingness to use the technology, it would be useful for
respondents to detail any concerns users might have such as privacy,
security, discrimination, the effectiveness of the technology, or other
such concerns.
3. Trends from the pandemic: Impressions or data reflecting how the
use of digital health technologies (including the use of telemedicine)
has changed over the course of the pandemic by individuals, community-
based organizations, and in community-based health settings. This
includes impressions of what is likely to continue, or not, after the
end of the public health emergency or COVID-19 pandemic.
4. User experience: Descriptions of how technology developers,
community-based healthcare providers, or other community-based
stakeholders consider and/or assess the patient and client experience
in the use of health technologies. This includes direct experiences
from individuals and patients who have used digital health
technologies. We welcome descriptions of how digital health
technologies could be better designed with the user experience (e.g.,
community health workers, healthcare providers, or patients) in mind,
as well as aspects of the user experience that could be changed to help
remove barriers due to willingness to use (e.g., privacy protections).
5. Tool and training needs: Information about the current
technological tools, equipment, and infrastructure needs of community
health workers and other community-based health providers. Descriptions
about what is needed to train and/or certify community health
organizations and workers on the use of digital health technologies for
their work are also welcome.
6. Proposed government actions: Opportunities for the Federal
Government to support the transformation of community health settings
through the uptake of innovative digital health technologies and
telemedicine at the community level. Please specify whether these
opportunities could take place in the immediate future (i.e., 0-2
years), in the next 5 years, in the next 10 years or beyond.
7. Health Equity: Information about how digital health technologies
have been used, or could be used, in community-based settings to drive
towards a reduction in health disparities or achieving health equity.
This could include any concerns about the health equity impacts of
digital health technologies
8. International models: Examples from outside of the United
States, particularly from low or middle-income countries, that
exemplify innovation at the intersection of healthcare delivery and
technology. This can include: The key features of the organizations
and/or the digital health technologies that have been most successful,
what is needed to support the scale up beyond individual organizations,
examples of best practices, examples of important user protections to
institute (e.g., privacy best practices), examples of positive user
experiences, metrics of how community health providers measure outcomes
or success, and creative ideas or models that may be in nascent stages.
We encourage responses that extrapolate to how these international
models could be applied within the United States healthcare system.
Stacy Murphy,
Operations Manager.
[FR Doc. 2021-28193 Filed 1-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3270-F2-P
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