Federal Register: December 14, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 241)
DOCID: FR Doc 01-30850
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Agency information collection activities:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 14, 2002.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to allow the proposed information collection: ``Voluntary Customer Surveys of `Partners' for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 10413 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection request to allow AHRQ to conduct these customer satisfaction surveys.
This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on September 21, 2001 and allowed 60 Days for public comment.
No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 Days of public comment.
SUMMARY:
Submission for OMB review; comment request,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Proposed Project
Voluntary Customer Surveys of ``Partners'' for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
In response to Executive Order 12862, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) plans to conduct voluntary customer surveys of ``partners'' to identify how well AHRQ is performing its functions with its partners and to use this information to determine the kind and quality of services they like and expect, their level of satisfaction with existing services, and to implement improvements where feasible and practical.
AHRQ partners are typically health care payers, plans, practitioners and providers, researchers, professional associations, AHRQ data suppliers, and State and local governments, as well as persons or entities that provide service to the public for AHRQ, e.g., dissemination of AHRQ publications by a ``middle man'' such as a professional society.
Partner surveys to be conducted by AHRQ may include surveys of research grantees to measure satisfaction with technical assistance received from AHRQ. The questions asked may include whether there is a need for extended hours to answer inquiries related to grant applications or for the development of a comprehensive manual on submission of grant applications. In addition, AHRQ wants to survey individual recipients of training grants to evaluate their experience with AHRQ training grant programs. Similarly, the Office of Health Care Information (OHCI) is proposing to survey researchers to determine how AHRQ could better serve the research community. Results of these surveys will be used to assess and redirect resources and efforts needed to improve services.
Method of Collection
The data will be collected using a combination of preferred methodologies appropriate to each survey. These methodologies are:
The estimated annual hour burden is as follows:
Average
Number of burden/ Total hours
Type of survey respondents response in of burden minutes
Mail/Telephone Surveys/ 9,400 20 3,133.3 Electronic Technologies.......
Focus Groups................... 700 97.7 1140
Totals..................... 10,100 25.4 4,273.3 Request for Comments
In accordance with the above cited Paperwork Reduction Act
legislation, comments on this AHRQ information collection proposals are
requested with regard to any of the following: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection 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 request for OMB approval of the proposed information
collection. All comments will become a matter of public record. Copies
of the proposed collection plans and can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer (see above).
Dated: December 10, 2001.
John M. Eisenberg,
Director.
[FR Doc. 0130850 Filed 121301; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416090M
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 5943132.