Federal Register: December 9, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 237)
DOCID: fr09de08-57 FR Doc E8-28902
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr09de08-57
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 8, 2009.
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: ``Establishing Benchmarks for the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety.'' 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 September 19th, 2008 and allowed 60 days for public comment. One comment was received. This notice differs from the previous notice in that the number of respondents was increased by 150 respondents and the burden hours were reduced by 1,488 hours. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.
SUMMARY:
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Proposed Project
``Establishing Benchmarks for the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety''
The ambulatory Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety (SOPS), an
adapted version of AHRQ's Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture
(HSOPSC), was developed in 2005 to measure specific components of
patient safety culture in the ambulatory setting. A pilot study (OMB
AHRQ has determined, through discussions with potential endusers of SOPS, including leaders of physician and other provider groups, that an ambulatory practice is unlikely to have confidence in SOPS benchmarks unless the benchmarking data are based on responses derived from offices with similar characteristics. Office characteristics thought to have a potential effect on SOPS responses include practice size, provider specialty mix, and use of electronic information technology. A separate survey to collect information about these practice characteristics has been developed and was tested and refined as part of the pilot study.
In order to establish SOPS benchmarks that can be tailored with respect to specific practicerelated characteristics, survey responses from a large sample of practices stratified by these characteristics are required. AHRQ therefore intends to recruit and administer SOPS to ambulatory medical offices that have been selected on the basis of practice characteristics. In addition, AHRQ intends to collect from these practices evaluative information about administrative barriers and facilitators to survey participation as well as a description of how the office used (or plans to use) the survey results to enhance patient safety culture. These data will inform future efforts by AHRQ to maximize the use of SOPS and the utility/value of survey results to ambulatory practices across the country.
This project is being conducted pursuant to AHRQ's statutory mandates to (1) promote health care quality improvement by conducting and supporting research that develops and presents scientific evidence regarding all aspects of health care, including methods for measuring quality and strategies for improving quality (42 U.S.C. 299(b)(1)(F)) and (2) conduct and support research on health care and on systems for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to quality measurement and improvement (42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(2)).
Methods of Collection
A purposive sample of 400 outpatient medical offices will be
identified and recruited. The goal is for the sample to be proportionately distributed with regard to three practice
characteristics: Office size (number of physicians and employed staff);
provider specialty mix (single vs multispecialty); and extent to
which electronic health information tools are used. All physicians and
employed staff in the practices will be asked to complete the SOPS.
Additionally, one office manager for the practice will be asked to
complete the Office Characteristics Survey. Since higher response rates have been demonstrated when paperbased
[[Page 74724]]
(compared to electronic) surveys are administered to busy ambulatory
clinicians, SOPS will be administered in paper form. Standard non
response followup techniques such as reminder postcards and
distribution of a second survey will be used. Additionally, all
respondents will subsequently be asked to complete a Webbased
evaluation assessing barriers and facilitators to survey completion,
and the intended use(s) of survey data. Individuals and organizations
contacted will be assured of the confidentiality of their replies under 42 U.S.C. 924(c).
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated burden hours for the medical offices' time to participate in this onetime data collection. It is anticipated than an average of 10 persons (about 3 physicians and 7 staff) in each of the approximately 400 medical offices will respond to the survey, resulting in a maximum of 4000 responses (approximately 1,200 physicians and 2,800 staff). The Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety (MOSOPS) and post survey evaluation will be completed by both physicians and staff, while the Office Characteristics Survey will be completed by the office manager at each of the participating medical offices. Standard techniques such as using a cover letter of support from the medical office, reminder postcards, and distribution of a second survey will be used to achieve the target response rate.
The MOSOPS survey and Office Characteristics survey each require
approximately 15 minutes to complete. All staff will be asked to
complete the MOSOPS, however only the office manager will need to
complete the Office Characteristics Survey. Additionally, the Post
Survey Evaluation, which will take an estimated 15 minutes to complete,
will be distributed to all respondents electronically. It is estimated
that the total annualized respondent burden for completing the surveys will be 2,100 hours.
Exhibit 1Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
Number of
Survey name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
MOSOPS Survey.................................. 400 10 15/60 1,000
Office Characteristics Survey................... 400 1 15/60 100
PostSurvey Evaluation.......................... 400 10 15/60 1,000
Total....................................... 1,200 na na 2,100
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden based on the
respondent's time to participate in this project. Based on the burden
hours and hourly rates of physicians and staff, the total annualized cost burden is estimated at $58,662.
Exhibit 2Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Survey name respondents hours wage rate * burden
MOSOPS Survey.................................. 400 1,000 $27.44 $27,440
Office Characteristics Survey................... 400 100 37.82 3,782
PostSurvey Evaluation.......................... 400 1,000 27.44 27,440
Total....................................... 1,200 2,100 n/a 58,662 * For the SOPS and PostSurvey Evaluation the wage rate is the national average wage for ``healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.'' For the Office Characteristics Survey the hourly wage is the national average wage for ``medical and health services managers.'' National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States 2006, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government
The total cost to the Government for conducting this research will be approximately $340,000. This estimate includes the costs of medical office identification and recruitment; data collection and aggregation; shipping, inputting and cleaning of data; analysis and report writing. 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: December 1, 2008.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. E828902 Filed 12808; 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.