Public Health Service

• Author: Jeffrey Lehman, Shirelle Phelps

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The Public Health Service (PHS) is the operating division of the HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT (HHS) responsible for promoting the protection and advancement of the American population's physical and mental well-being.

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A scientist examines the West Nile virus at a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lab in Fort Collins, Colorado. The CDC is the federal government's chief instrument for responding to public health emergencies; it also develops programs to prevent and control the spread of disease.

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

The Public Health Service was first established by Act of July 16, 1798 (ch. 77, 1 Stat. 605), which authorized the creation of hospitals to care for U.S. merchant seamen. Subsequent legislation has substantially broadened the scope of its activities, and as of 2003 the Public Health Service accomplishes its goals through a number of agencies and programs. These entities coordinate and implement national health policy on the state and local levels, conduct medical and biomedical research, and enforce laws to ensure the safety of drugs and medical devices and to protect the public against impure foods and cosmetics. There are several sub PHS agencies or Operating Divisions, as follows.

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research was established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C.A. § 299 et seq.). As the federal government's focal point for health services research, the agency produces and disseminates information about the quality, medical effectiveness, and cost of healthcare. The agency's research is geared toward producing useful and accurate data concerning the design and performance of the national healthcare system, data that can be used to help improve healthcare at the federal, state, and local levels.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

AHRQ supports research designed to improve the outcomes and quality of HEALTH-CARE, reduce its costs, address patient safety and medical errors, and broaden access to effective services. The research sponsored, conducted, and disseminated by AHRQ provides information that helps people make better decisions about healthcare.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry was established on April 19, 1983, by the secretary of HHS. The agency is charged with...