[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 234 (Thursday, December 5, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 73200-73201] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-29038] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR. DATES: Comments on this Information Collection Request must be received within 60 days of this notice. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of [[Page 73201]] the data collection plans and draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the information request collection title for reference. Information Collection Request Title: Rural Health Network Development Planning Performance Improvement and Measurement System Database OMB No. 0915-xxxx--[NEW] Abstract: The purpose of the Rural Health Network Development Planning (Network Planning) program, authorized by Section 330A(f) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 254c(f), as amended by section 201, Public Law 107-251 of the Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002, is to assist in the development of an integrated healthcare network, if the network participants do not have a history of collaborative efforts. The Network Planning program helps to promote the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to: (i) Achieve efficiencies; (ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. This program brings together key parts of a rural health care delivery system, particularly those entities that may not have collaborated in the past under a formal relationship, to work together to establish and improve local capacity and coordination of care. This grant program supports one year of planning with the primary goal of helping networks create a foundation for their infrastructure and focusing member efforts to address important regional or local community health needs. Need and Proposed Use of the Information: For this program, performance measures were drafted to provide data to the program and to enable HRSA to provide aggregate program data. These measures cover the principal topic areas of interest to the Office of Rural Health Policy, including (a) network infrastructure; (b) network collaboration; (c) sustainability; and (d) network assessment. Several measures will be used for this program. Likely Respondents: The respondents would be Network Planning grant recipients. Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below. Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Average burden Form name Number of responses per Total per response Total burden respondents respondent responses (in hours) hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Performance Improvement and 21 1 21 1 21 Measurement System (PIMS) Database....................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total....................... 21 1 21 1 21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. Dated: November 22, 2013. Bahar Niakan, Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination. [FR Doc. 2013-29038 Filed 12-4-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4165-15-P