§ 286d. National Information Center
(a)
Establishment
There is established within the Library an entity to be known as the National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (in this section referred to as the “Center”).
(b)
Purpose
The purpose of the Center is the collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and dissemination of information on health services research, clinical practice guidelines, and on health care technology, including the assessment of such technology. Such purpose includes developing and maintaining data bases and developing and implementing methods of carrying out such purpose.
(c)
Electronic, convenient format; criteria for inclusion
The Director of the Center shall ensure that information under subsection (b) of this section concerning clinical practice guidelines is collected and maintained electronically and in a convenient format. Such Director shall develop and publish criteria for the inclusion of practice guidelines and technology assessments in the information center database.
(d)
Coordination with Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Secretary, acting through the Center, shall coordinate the activities carried out under this section through the Center with related activities of the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.