Advisory Panels
Health Evidence Review Commission (HERC) staff sometimes need expert advice to understand specialty topics better. This advice helps staff create recommendations for the Commission and subcommittee members to consider when discussing those services. This advice can sometimes be received informally, like when Commission staff ask a local expert about a specific topic. For some topic areas, staff have set up advisory panels that meet a few times a year. For these panels, staff select volunteer panelists based on their expertise.
Currently, there are three advisory panels:
- Behavioral Health Advisory Panel (BHAP)
- Oral Health Advisory Panel (OHAP)
- Genetics Advisory Panel (GAP)
Advisory panels meetings are not official public meetings
Though they may seem similar, advisory panel meetings are not official public meetings. Advisory panelists do not vote; there is no chairperson or quorum requirement, and the group has makes no formal recommendations. Though there are no minutes, staff publish meeting highlights on our meetings page to summarize the discussion. One HERC member usually participates in advisory panel meetings as a liaison.
Advisory panel meeting management
Though advisory panels are not technically public meetings, staff do value participation from people interested in the discussion and run them using many of the same practices used for HERC's public meetings:
- Anyone can participate by phone or via the online meeting tool. Unlike an official public meeting, advance registration is not required in order to comment (though it is encouraged).
- Staff announce the panel meetings on the Commission's website.
- Advisory panel meeting notices are sent in advance using HERC's GovDelivery service. These notices include a list of planned discussion topics.
- Please self-register to receive Commission notices, including those about advisory panels.
- A planned agenda with topics being discussed along with meeting materials is posted on the website for each Advisory Panel meeting.
How panel discussions become part of HERC's process
After an advisory panel meeting:
- Staff consider the expert input from panelists.
- Staff create proposals for discussion at HERC and its subcommittees and includes them in meeting materials, which are posted for written comment six weeks in advance of a HERC subcommittee meeting where votes and action may be taken.
- Anyone may provide written or verbal comments on these topics at HERC and subcommittee meetings.
In addition to scheduled meetings, staff may email panelists. Any meeting materials affected by the email discussion and the staff recommendations are clearly stated as being informed by an email discussion. Topics are fully discussed at a future official public HERC or subcommittee meeting.
Questions? Please email Herc.info@oha.oregon.gov