Health Services Research, Health Statistics, and Health Care Technology Act of 1978

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1783)

Health Services Research, Health Statistics, and Health Care Technology Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend authorizations of appropriations through fiscal year 1981 for health service research, evaluation, and demonstration activities, and health statistical activities.

Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), acting through the National Center for Health Services Research, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the National Center for Health Technology, to conduct and support research, demonstrations, evaluations, and statistical and epidemiological activities respecting the accessibility, acceptability, planning, organization, distribution, utilization, and financing of systems for the delivery of health care. Lists additional activities to be undertaken by such Centers and Office for the purpose of improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of health services in the United States including the assessment of the special health problems of low income and minority groups and the elderly on a periodic, regular basis.

Makes it the duty of the Secretary, through National Research Service Awards and other authorities, to support manpower training programs which shall supply individuals qualified to perform such research, evaluation, and demonstration projects.

Directs the Secretary to coordinate all such activities undertaken and supported through units of HEW and to the maximum extent possible through such Centers.

Limits the number of scientific and professional consultants and experts whose services may be obtained for research and statistical assistance, by the Secretary for the National Center for Health Services Research and the National Center for Health Statistics, to 15 such individuals for each Center.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the National Center for Health Services Research, to support research, evaluation, and demonstration projects respecting the uses of computer science in health services delivery and medical information systems.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the National Center for Health Statistics, to collect statistics on the extent and nature of illness and disability of the population of the United States.

Establishes the Cooperative Health Statistics System to produce comparable and uniform health information and statistics.

Requires the Secretary to coordinate the health statistical and epidemiological activities of HEW by establishing standardized means for the collection of health information and statistics.

Establishes, within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the National Center for Health Care Technology. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Center, to undertake and support: (1) assessments of health care technology, taking into account the safety, effectiveness, social and economic impact of health care technologies; (2) research respecting factors that affect the use of health care technologies in the United States; and (3) research respecting the safety and efficacy of particular health care technologies. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Center and in consultation with the National Council on Health Care Technology, to set priorities respecting research and evaluation of particular health care technologies taking into account the actual and potential benefits to patients associated with the use of the technology.

Directs the Secretary to assist public and private nonprofit entities in meeting the costs of establishing centers and operating existing centers for research and evaluation of health care technologies. Stipulates that grants shall not be made to establish new centers unless such centers meet specified requirements.

Establishes the National Council on Health Care Technology to: (1) advise the Secretary on various aspects of health care technologies; and (2) develop standards concerning the use of particular health care technologies.

Defines "health care technology" to mean any discrete and identifiable regimen or modality used to diagnose and treat illness, prevent disease, maintain patient well-being, or facilitate the provision of health care services.

Requires the Secretary and the National Academy of Sciences to conduct an ongoing study of the present and projected future health costs of pollution and environmental conditions resulting from human activity.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the National Center for Health Statistics, to develop a plan for the collection and coordination of statistical and epidemiological data on the effects of the environment on health. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Center, to establish guidelines for the collection, compilation, analysis, publication, and distribution of statistics and information necessary for determining the effects and conditions of employment and indoor and outdoor environmental conditions on the public health. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Center, to conduct a study of the issues respecting, and the recommendations for, establishing a Federal system to assist Federal, State, and other entities in locating individuals who have been or may have been exposed to hazardous substances to determine the effect on their health of such exposure and to assist them in obtaining appropriate medical care and treatment.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the National Center for Health Services Research, to arrange for the conduct of a study to evaluate the impact upon the utilization of health services by and the health status of members of the United Mine Workers and their dependents as a result of changes in the United Mine Workers' collective-bargaining agreements of March 1978, that require copayments for health services.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish 24 new positions within the Public Health Service for specially qualified scientific, professional, and administrative personnel.

Deletes the provision of the Public Health Service Act which requires the Secretary to conduct research and evaluation programs respecting the effectiveness, administration, and enforcement of quality assurance programs.

Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the National Eye Institute, to carry out a program of grants for vision research facilities.

Directs the Secretary to provide National Research Service Awards for research at the National Center for Health Services Research, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the National Center for Health Care Technology.

Authorizes the Secretary to waive the requirements for capitation grants for dental schools if the Secretary determines that compliance with such requirements will prevent a school from maintaining its accreditation.

Amends the Clean Air Act to provide that if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency promulgates a design or operational standard with respect to air pollutants from buildings, such design or operational standard shall be treated as establishing allowable emission limitations.