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What is the Regional Advisory Committee or RAC? The purpose of the RAC is to :

1. Advise the RML on appropriate mechanisms within the framework of the NN/LM contract for developing and implementing programs to improve health professionals' and consumers' access to biomedical information

2. Advise the RML in establishing priorities

3. Develop plans to encourage network members to participate in regional and national activities affecting the access and delivery of health information

4. Assist the RML in identifying health processionals without access to health information and recommend ways to assist them through NER programs

What is the structure of the NER RAC?

To encourage local envolvement and a high level of participation in NER program planning, we organized our RAC to include a set of committees rather than one RAC. Together these committees or working groups comprise the NER RAC. A list of committees and their function follows:

1. RAC Steering Committee--this is an oversight committee; committee chairs and members of the NER staff comprise the RAC Steering Committee

2. Education and Training Committee--the purpose of this committee is to recommend educational and training programs; identify groups who may need these programs; investigate alternative methods of training; and to review all submissions received in response to the Education Award.

3. Technology Awareness Committee--the purpose of this committee is to promote the use of new technologies in the region; members review all proposals submitted for the Technology Awareness Conference Award.

4. Outreach Committee--the purpose of this committee is to assist the NER in identifying outreach opportunities; members review all proposals submitted in response to competitive Outreach Subcontracts.

5. Statistics and Planning Committee--the purpose of this committee is to assist the NER in identifying statistics that should be kept in the region and in identifying and promoting evaluation and assessment tools for NER programs.

6. Health Professionals Task Force--this group will be convened once during the five year contract and will be conducted as members will consist of a range of health professionals and be asked to identify their information needs and suggest opportunities for the NER to assist in the delivery of health information.

7. Local Advisory Working Groups--all outreach subcontracts targeting consumers or special populations will be asked to work with a local advisory group to assist them in planning, implementation and evaluation of their project.

8.Resource Library Directors--this group is comprised of directors of the resource libraries within New England. They meet once a year in conjunction with NAHSL.

What is the work of the RAC? How do they perform their work?

The committees meet either in person or via conference call. In early Sept. 2001 the Steering Committee met with NER staff and generated a list of proposed tasks for the five year contract. The Resource Library Directors met at the fall 2001 NAHSL meeting and generated a list of priorities. On Friday, April 26, 2002, the Steering Committee met again with NER staff to discuss progress and linkages between the priorities generated by the RLD and their committees. The Steering Committee will meet with the RLD at NAHSL 2002 to continue this discussion.

The RAC is a vital aspect of the NER strategic planning process. With the current structure of the RAC, there are more than 50 network members involved in the setting of goals and priorities for our region. The RAC reflects our overall commitment to provide RML programs and services in a collaborative and participative way.

Elaine Martin, Director