An IOM ad hoc committee will be convened to examine the current mission, governance, and organizational structure of the Department of Health and Human Services. The committee will make recommendations to Congress and DHHS to ensure that the Department is aligned to meet the public health and health care cost challenges that our nation faces. The committee should consider recommendations that are short-term and administratively feasible, as well as long-term recommendations.

In conducting the study and preparing its report, the committee will consider the following questions:

1. What are the unifying elements of the mission of the Department? What are the missions of its constituent agencies, and how do their activities relate to the public health, health care quality, and health care cost challenges facing the United States?
2. Are the activities of individual agencies aligned to optimally support the overall health mission of DHHS? Should the operations of individual agencies be changed, consolidated, or realigned to make them collectively more effective in advancing the health of the nation?
3. How can the governance of DHHS be best organized to support and manage its responsibilities, function and mission? How could the focus of the individual agencies be improved to enhance their accountability and efficiency?
4. How can relevant data be collected, integrated and shared within and outside of DHHS in a way that is available, transparent and useful for government and public decision-making?