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National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR)

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Introduction to Health Services Research : A Self-Study Course

Module 3: Selected Players (Federal and Private) (Page 16 of 27)

National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine)

Snapshot of the NAM home page. Click to visit the site. Close the open window to return to this page.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) (https://nam.edu/) of the National Academy of Sciences was established in 1970 for the purpose of advancing and protecting the health of the public. The Academy is charged with the examination of policy matters that affect the health of the public. (See also, Module 2)

Membership

Members of the Acadmy are elected on the basis of professional achievement and distinction. Currently, there are approximately 1407 regular members, 66 Emeritus members, and 75 foreign associates (as of June 2005). A professional staff assists members and other experts in the conduct of studies on health policy issues.

Topical Areas of Interest

The Academy's program is organized into seventeen topic areas: mental health, child health, food & nutrition, aging, women’s health, education, public policy, healthcare & quality, diseases, global health, workplace, military & veterans, health sciences, environment, treatment, public health & prevention, and minority health.

Oversight Boards

NAM is organized into seven oversight boards: Board on Global Health; Board on Health Care Services; Board on Health Sciences Policy; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice (formerly Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP); Board on the Health of Select Populations; Food and Nutrition Board; Fellowship Program; and Medical Follow-Up Agency (part of the Board on the Health of Select Populations).

Board on Health Care Services

The Board on Health Care Services is concerned with the organization, financing, effectiveness, workforce, and delivery of healthcare services, with special emphasis on quality, costs, and accessibility of care; its activities are sponsored by the Public Health Service, Health Care Financing Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Committee on Clinical Evaluation

NAM formed the division's Committee on Clinical Evaluation in 1990 to help coordinate the Institute's activities relating to the evaluation of clinical care and patient outcomes.

Committee on Technological Innovation in Medicine

The division's Committee on Technological Innovation in Medicine was formed to study the development and diffusion of new and improved medical technologies (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and clinical procedures). This Committee addresses such topics as health insurance coverage of new technologies, early stages of the technology development process, and the development and introduction into clinical practice of new surgical procedures.

Notification Services

Keeping up with NAM publications and activities is easy. Sign up for News announcements, a free, e-mail alert service that announces new publications, upcoming events, and new online content.

Discussion Questions

  1. NAM's many committees produce many reports and related documents each year. How do you keep up with their publications? Can you specify areas of interest and sign up for only them?
  2. What is the role of the National Academy Press vis-a-vis the Institute of Medicine?
  3. Visit the Board on Health Care Services. What projects is it currently covering and what reports has it recently released? Are there projects underway that you should be tracking for your clientele? When you look at the individual projects, what kinds of information are available that you can make use of?
  4. Formerly active committees may no longer be active. How would you keep track of the work of important committees? How would you locate committee reports after the committees are no longer viable?
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