Federal Register: October 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 205)
DOCID: FR Doc 06-8831
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 December 26, 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: ``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of Payfor Quality Programs.'' 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
``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of PayforQuality (P4Q) Programs.''
The P4Q Evaluation is a multimethod research project designed to
evaluate the implementation and impact of P4Q programs on physicians
across three programs operating in health care safety net settings. The
P4Q programs participating in the evaluation are offering their health
care providers financial incentives to achieve predefined quality
targets. Data collected as part of this evaluation will have direct operational relevance to
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payers and providers regarding the value and challenges of P4Q programs
in safety net settings. The P4Q evaluation is designed to assess
whether P4Q programs in such settings appear to improve quality on the
measures that are the focus of the programs and also whether the
programs lead to unintended consequences. the P4Q evaluation will also
seek to identify design and implementation practices that are likely to
increase as well as decrease the risks of negative outcomes resulting
from the implementation of P4Q programs in safety net settings.
Data collection in the P4Q evaluation will be approved by the Boston University's Medical Campus Institutional Review Board. It will be conducted in accordance with the Health Insurance Protection and Portability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule and with the Protection of Human Subjects regulations, 45 CFR part 46. In addition, the identifiable data collected in this study about provider organizations and individuals will only be used for the abovestated purposes and will be protected in accordance with the AHRQ confidentiality statute, section 934(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c3(c)). Methods of Collection
The evaluation will use several methods to examine P4Q programs in safety net settings, including a survey and key informant interviews. Survey data will be obtained from physicians participating in P4Q programs using a confidential mailed questionnaire. The key informant interviews will consist of 35minute semistructured interviews with physician organization executives, practice leaders, physicians, and other senior managers in each study setting regarding program design, implementation, and impact. The research project investigators will interview up to six informants at each site.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
The table below indicates that total time burden required to obtain
all of the data required to meet the study's objectives. It does not
include time required to analyze the data and prepare it for reporting and publication.
Number of Estimated time Estimated Estimated
Type of respondent Number of responses per per respondent total burden annual cost to
respondents respondent (hours) (hours) the government
Physicians................... 216 1 0.25 hours (15 54 $5,322.12 to
minutes). cover costs of
responding to
survey.
Practice executives and other 24 1 0.58 hours (35 14 $841.35 to
senior managers. minutes). cover costs of
participating
in inperson
interviews.
Total.................... .............. .............. ................ 68 $6,163.47 Estimated Costs to the Federal Government
The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to be $193,941. This funding will be used to support survey administration costs, salary and fringe benefits for the research team relating to the design and administration of the survey and informant interviews, and costs for two members of the research team to travel to each site for the informant interviews. The project will attempt to minimize burden to physician survey respondents by distributing surveys at medical staff meetings.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the abovecited Paperwork Reduction Act 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 AHRQ health care research and health care 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: October 10, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 068831 Filed 102306; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 416090M
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ, Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 4271477.