Federal Register: October 18, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 200)
DOCID: FR Doc 04-23234
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 17, 2004.
DOCUMENT 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) allow the proposed information collection project:
[[Page 61383]]
``Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research
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.
This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on August 16th, 2004 and allowed 60 Days for public comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 Days for public comment.
SUMMARY:
Reader Aids; ; Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Proposed Project
``Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality''
AHRQ plans to employ the latest techniques to improve it's current data collections by developing new surveys, and by revising existing surveys in anticipation of, or in response to, changes in the healthcare field, for a 3 year period. The clearance request is limited to testing research questionnaires, data collection methods, and related reports. Data collected under this clearance will be used to improve agency products and such data are not intended for direct use in the development of health policy. The final instruments will be used for subsequent data collections that may impact health policies. A generic clearance for his work will allow AHRQ to draft and test survey instruments more quickly and with greater lead time, thereby managing project time more efficiently and improving the quality of the data it collects.
It is envisioned that in some instances the ability to pretest/ pilottest surveyrelated instruments, in anticipation of work, or early in a project, may result in the decision not to proceed with particular survey activities, thereby saving both public and private resources and effectively eliminating or reducing respondent burden.
The health care environment changes rapidly and requires a quick response from the agency to provide appropriately refined tools. A generic clearance for this methodological work will facilitate the agency's timely development of survey tools suitable for use in changing conditions.
It is particularly important to refine AHRQ's survey tools because many of the survey tools AHRQ develops are made widely available to users in the private sector. They are made available to help the private sector improve health care quality by enabling the gathering of useful data for analysis and for providing information about health care quality to consumers and purchasers so that they can use their marketplace choices to influence and improve health care quality. Methods of Collection
Participation in survey testing will be fully voluntary and non participation will have no affect on eligibility for, or receipt of, future AHRQ health services research support or on future opportunities to participate in research or to obtain informative research results. Specific estimation procedures, when used, will be described when we notify OMB as to actual studies conducted under the clearance. Total Type of research activity Number of Estimated time per respondent burden respondents hours FacetoFace Interviews...................... 100 60 minutes........................... 100 Field Tests (short).......................... 2,400 20 minutes........................... 800 Field Tests (long)........................... 7,600 30 minutes........................... 3,800 Lab Experiments.............................. 200 90 minutes........................... 300 Focus Groups................................. 100 60 minutes........................... 100 Cognitive Interviews......................... 100 60 minutes........................... 100
Totals................................... 10,500 Not Applicable....................... 5,200 Estimated Costs to the Federal Government
Expenses for equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff will be incurred by AHRQ components as part of their normal operating budgets. No additional cost to the Federal Government is anticipated. Any deviation from these limits will be noted in reports made to OMB with respect to a particular study or studies conducted under the clearance.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the abovecited legislation, comments on the AHRQ 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 functions of AHRQ, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the AHRQ'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.
Dated: October 4, 2004.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 0423234 Filed 101504; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416090M
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 4271651.