Federal Register: December 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 248)
DOCID: fr28de07-105 FR Doc 07-6187
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr28de07-105
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 26, 2008.
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) approve the proposed information collection project: ``Evaluation of the Effectiveness of AHRQ's GrantSupported Research on Healthcare Costs, Productivity, and Market Forces.'' 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 Effectiveness of AHRQ's GrantSupported
Research on Healthcare Costs, Productivity, and Market Forces''
The proposed information collection will support AHRQ's efforts to systematically review the effectiveness of its grantsupported research on healthcare costs, productivity, and market forces since the late 1990s. In the first phase of its ongoing evaluation, AHRQ determined it had funded 149 grants in the area of cost, productivity, organization and market forces since the late 1990s (Krissik, Lake and Gold, 2007). Prior to this proposed information collection, no evaluation of these grants and their effects has been conducted. Collecting such information through a survey of the 149 grantees will assist AHRQ in its mission of supporting the synthesis and dissemination of available scientific evidence for use by patients, consumers, practitioners, providers, purchasers, policymakers, and educators. The survey will provide information on grant activities that is not currently available, including uptodate information on grantee dissemination activities and feedback on AHRQ's role in supporting research and dissemination.
A survey of the universe of grantees who were funded to carry out the abovedescribed health services research work offers a rational and scientific approach to collecting data on the impact of AHRQ's research in this area that is otherwise not currently available. The survey will be an integral part of AHRQ's overall evaluation, which attempts to describe the research and the pathways through which research findings that it has supported are disseminated and used. The survey interviews principal investigators about their grant research projects and will capture data that systematically track grant outcomes, providing information on: (1) The main substantive findings from the work and the ways they have been communicated; (2) known impacts of the work to date; (3) linkage of work to other research in the field; (4) grantee ratings of the support that AHRQ provided before, during, and after award and how AHRQ services for grantees could be improved; and, (5) grantee perceptions of AHRQ's role in research funding in this area and how sponsor interest influences the topics that are addressed. Method of Collection
A webbased questionnaire will be used to conduct the survey with
AHRQ grantees. A selfadministered mode was selected for this survey
because respondents may need to look up information in order to answer
some questions. A selfadministered mode allows respondents to complete
the survey at their own pace and schedule. If requested, a hardcopy of the
[[Page 73826]]
questionnaire will be mailed to the respondent.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Number of
Form Name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
AHRQ Grantee Survey............................. 149 1 2 298
Total........................................... 149 na na 298
Estimated Annualized Respondent Cost Burden
Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Form Name respondents hours wage rate* burden
AHRQ Grantee Survey............................. 149 298 $42.98 $12,808
Total........................................... 149 298 na $12,808
*Based upon the mean of the average wages for teachers (college and university), National Compensation Survey:
Occupational Wages in the United States 2005, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government
The proposed information collection is part of a larger evaluation of the effectiveness of AHRQ's grantsupported research on healthcare costs, productivity, and market forces, which includes a systematic review of the research that AHRQ has funded, indepth interviews with grantees and grant document review, case studies to assess the effects and dissemination pathways of market forces research, and preparation of reports and briefings. The cost to conduct the survey of identified grantees is $38,962.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the abovecited Paperwork Reduction Act
legislation, comments on the AHRQ information collection proposal 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 the
burden (including hours and costs) 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 on 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: December 17, 2007.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 076187 Filed 122707; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416090M
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 4271477 or by Email at
doris.lefkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov.