103 STAT. 2194 PUBLIC LAW 101-239—DEC. 19, 1989 standards, performance measures, and review criteria in- volved can be expected— "(i) to improve methods of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical management for the benefit of a significant number of individuals; "(ii) to reduce clinically significant variations among physicians in the particular services and procedures - utilized in making diagnoses and providing treatments; and "(iii) to reduce clinically significant variations in the outcomes of health care services and procedures. "(B) In providing for the agenda required in paragraph (1), including the priorities, the Administrator shall consult with the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration and otherwise act consistent with section 1142(b)(3) of the Social Security Act. " (b) STANDARDS AND CRITERIA.— " (1) PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW, AND UPDATING.—The Director shall establish standards and criteria to be utilized by the recipients of contracts under section 913, and by the expert panels convened under such section, with respect to the develop- ment and periodic review and updating of the guidelines, stand- ards, performance measures, and review criteria described in section 912(a). "(2) AWARD OF CONTRACTS. — The Director shall establish standards and criteria to be utilized for the purpose of ensuring that contracts entered into for the development or periodic review or updating of the guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria described in section 912(a) will be entered into only with appropriately qualified entities. "(3) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR STANDARDS AND CRITERIA. — The Director shall ensure that the standards and criteria estab- lished under paragraphs (1) and (2) specify that— "(A) appropriate consultations with interested individ- uals and organizations are to be conducted in the develop- ment of the guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria described in section 912(a); and "(B) such development may be accomplished through the adoption, with or without modification, of guidelines, stand- ards, performance measures, and review criteria that^ "(i) meet the requirements of this part; and "(ii) are developed by entities independently of the program established in this part. "(4) IMPROVEMENTS OF STANDARDS AND CRITERIA. —The Direc- tor shall conduct and support research with respect to improv- ing the standards and criteria developed under this subsection. "(c) DISSEMINATION.—The Director shall promote and support the dissemination of the guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria described in section 912(a). Such dissemination shall be C£u-ried out through organizations representing health care providers, organizations representing health care consumers, peer review organizations, accrediting bodies, and other appropriate enti- ties. "(d) PILOT TESTING. —The Director may conduct or support pilot testing of the guidelines, standards, performance measures, and review criteria developed under section 912(a). Any such pilot test-
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