Federal Register: October 11, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 196)
DOCID: FR Doc 06-8607
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 13, 2006.
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: ``Assessment of Unreimbursed Care among Community Primary Care Physicians.'' 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.
SUMMARY:
Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Proposed Project
``Assessment of Unreimbursed Care among Community Primary Care Physicians''
This project is being conducted as part of AHRQ's Primary Care PracticeBased Research Networks (PBRN). One of AHRQ's PBRN contractors, the American Academy of Family Physician's National Research Network (AAFPNRN), will survey primary care practices participating in its PBRN in order to assess the current state of un reimbursed medical care provided in community based primary care practices.
There has been substantial research conducted to quantify the amount of unreimbursed care provided in private physicians' offices. This survey will collect information from a sample of communitybased primary care practices that are widely representative of private physicians across the United States in order to understand the current state of private primary care office unreimbursed care and help assess factors that encourage and discourage practices from engaging in this activity.
The AAFPNRN will collaborate with AHRQ on the design of a self administered, webbased questionnaire. The survey will collect information pertaining to the level of unreimbursed care in the practice as well as characteristics of the practice, the physician(s) and the patient population.
Methods of Collection
The survey will be distributed to 1200 primary care physicians with
an expected response rate of 65% (780 responses). A stratified sampling
approach will be used to ensure appropriate representation from the
four Census regions, urban and rural areas, and small and large
practices. Selected physicians will receive a letter informing them of
the purpose of the study, inviting them to participate and offering
them the opportunity to complete the survey on paper or via the
Internet. A followup mailing with a duplicate paperbased version of
the questionnaire will be mailed to nonresponders after two weeks.
Reminder phone calls will be placed in weeks four and six to all non
responders. If necessary to achieve target response rates, a remailing
of the paperbased questionnaire will occur in week eight. The
questionnaire is estimated to take no more than fifteen minutes to complete.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Estimated time
Data collection effort Number of per respondent Estimated total
respondents in hours burden hours
Primary care clinicians...................................... 780 .25 195 Estimated Costs to the Federal Government
The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to be $129,956.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the abovecited legislation, 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 health care research and information dissemination functions of AHRQ, 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.
To date, one comment has been received. The commenter noted that s/ he believed no physicians provide free care. The purpose of this survey is to assess the current state of private primary care office un reimbursed care and help assess factors that encourage and discourage practices from engaging in this activity.
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: September 26, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 068607 Filed 101006; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 416090M
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ, Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 4271477.