On September 9, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a request for feedback on the development of a National Health Care Quality Strategy and Plan. The Affordable Care Act requires the Secretary to develop a national strategy on quality to improve the delivery of health care services, patient outcomes and population health. The Secretary must submit the first national strategy to Congress by January 1, 2011. More information regarding this activity is located at http://www.hhs.gov/news/reports/quality/nhcqsap.html.

HHS seeks comments on a proposed framework and set of “core principles” for a national strategy on quality, and lists ten questions for feedback. The deadline to submit comments is Friday, October 15.