[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51336-51338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20421]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection
project: ``Generic Clearance for Questionnaire and Data Collection
Testing, Evaluation, and Research for the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act,
44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this
proposed information collection.
This proposed information collection was previously published in
the Federal Register on May 29th 2014 and allowed 60 days for public
comment. One comment was received. The purpose of this notice is to
allow an additional 30 days for public comment.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 29, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at
[email protected].
Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477, or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Proposed Project
Generic Clearance for Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing,
Evaluation, and Research for the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requests that
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reinstate generic pre-testing
clearance 0935-0124 for three years to facilitate AHRQ's efforts to (1)
employ evaluation-type methods and techniques to improve AHRQ's current
data collection and estimation procedures, (2) develop new collections
and procedures, including toolkits, and (3) revise existing collections
and procedures. AHRQ uses techniques to simplify data collection and
estimation procedures, reduce respondent burden, and improve
efficiencies to meet the needs of individuals and small business
respondents who may have reduced budgets and staff. AHRQ believes that
developing, testing, and evaluating data collection and estimation
procedures using survey methods and other techniques in anticipation of
agency-sponsored studies can improve its information collection efforts
and the products it develops and allow AHRQ to be more responsive to
fast-changing developments in the healthcare research field.
This clearance request is limited to research on data collection,
toolkit development, and estimation procedures and reports and does not
extend to the collection of data for public release or policy
formation. The current clearance was granted on May 27th, 2011 and
expires on May 31st, 2014.
This generic clearance will allow AHRQ to draft and test toolkits,
survey instruments and other data collection and estimation procedures
more quickly and with greater lead time, thereby managing project time
more efficiently and improving the quality of the data AHRQ collects.
In some instances, the ability to test and evaluate toolkits, data
collection and estimation procedures in anticipation of work or early
in a project may result in the decision not to proceed with additional
activities, thereby saving both public and private resources and
effectively eliminating respondent burden.
Many of the tools AHRQ develops are made available to the private
sector to assist in improving health care quality. The health and
health care environment changes rapidly and requires a quick response
from AHRQ to provide refined tools. This generic clearance will
facilitate AHRQ's response to this changing environment.
These preliminary research activities will not be used by AHRQ to
regulate or sanction its customers. They will be entirely voluntary and
the confidentiality of respondents and their responses will be
preserved. Proposed information collections submitted under this
generic clearance will be reviewed and acted upon by OMB within 14 days
of submission to OMB.
Method of Collection
The information collected through preliminary research activities
will be used by AHRQ to employ techniques to (1) improve AHRQ's current
data collection and estimation procedures, (2) develop new collections
and procedures, including toolkits, and (3) revise existing collections
and procedures in anticipation or in response to changes in the health
or health care field. The end result will be improvement in AHRQ's data
collections and procedures and the quality of data collected, a
reduction or minimization of respondent burden, increased agency
efficiency, and improved responsiveness to the public.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated burden hours, over the full 3 years
of this clearance, for the respondents' time to participate in the
research activities that may be conducted under this generic clearance.
Mail surveys will be conducted with about 6,000 persons (2,000 per year
for 3 years) and are estimated to average 20 minutes. Mail surveys may
also be sent to respondents via email, and may include a telephone non-
response follow-up. Telephone non-response follow-up for mailed surveys
is not counted as a telephone survey in Exhibit 1. Not more than 600
persons, over 3 years, will participate in telephone surveys that will
take about 40 minutes. Web-based surveys will be conducted with no more
than 3,000 persons and will require no more than 10 minutes to
complete. About 1,500 persons will participate in focus groups which
may last up to two hours, while in-person interviews will be conducted
with 600 persons and will take about 50 minutes. Automated data
collection will be conducted for about 1,500 persons and could take up
to 1 hour. Cognitive testing will be conducted with about 600 persons
and is estimated to take 11/2 hours to complete. The total burden over
3 years is estimated to be 8,900 hours (about 2,967 hours per year).
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated cost burden over 3 years, based on
the respondents' time to participate in these research activities. The
total cost burden is estimated to be $298,239.
Exhibit 1--Estimated Burden Hours Over 3 Years
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Number of
Type of information collection Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
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Mail/email *........................ 6,000 1 20/60 2,000
Telephone........................... 600 1 40/60 400
Web-based........................... 3,000 1 10/60 500
Focus Groups........................ 1,500 1 2.0 3,000
In-person........................... 600 1 1.0 600
Automated **........................ 1,500 1 1.0 1,500
Cognitive Testing ***............... 600 1 1.5 900
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Totals.......................... 13,800 na na 8,900
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* May include telephone non-response follow-up in which case the burden will not change
** May include testing of database software, CAPI software or other automated technologies.
*** May include cognitive interviews for questionnaire or toolkit development, or ``think aloud'' testing of
prototype Web sites.
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Exhibit 2--Estimated Cost Burden Over 3 Years
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Type of information collection Number of Total burden Average hourly
burden respondents hours wage rate * Total cost
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Mail/email.......................... 6,000 2,000 $33.51 $67,020
Telephone........................... 600 400 $33.51 $13,404
Web-based........................... 3,000 500 $33.51 $16,755
Focus Groups........................ 1,500 3,000 $33.51 $100,530
In-person........................... 600 600 $33.51 $20,106
Automated........................... 1,500 1,500 $33.51 $50,265
Cognitive Testing................... 600 900 $33.51 $30,159
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Totals.......................... 13,800 8,900 na $298,239
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* Based upon the average wages for 29-000 (Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations), ``National
Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2009,'' U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, comments on AHRQ's
information collection are requested with regard to any of the
following: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of AHRQ healthcare research and
healthcare information dissemination functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's
estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed
collection(s) of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information upon the
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the
proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of
public record.
Dated: August 20, 2014.
Richard Kronick,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-20421 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M