[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25199-25200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12054]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Comment Request

    In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
Title 35, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Public Law 104-13), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed 
project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans, call the HRSA 
Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Evaluation of the National Health Service Corps

New

    The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) was established in 1971 to 
help correct the maldistribution of health care personnel and to 
improve the delivery of services in areas with shortages of health care 
professionals. Through the Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs the 
NHSC recruits health clinicians and places them in areas designated as 
health professional shortage areas.
    The evaluation of this program will include three mail surveys, two 
directed at scholarship and loan repayment program clinicians 
(physicians, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and 
nurse midwives), and one directed at site administrators currently 
employing NHSC clinicians. The Survey of NHSC Alumni (clinicians who 
began service on January 1, 1980 and terminated their service before 
March 14, 1997) will assess alumni attitudes about the NHSC experience 
including recruitment, placement, and service contributions (for 
example, expanding clinical services, serving in clinical leadership 
positions, participating in quality improvement activities and 
initiating community primary care initiatives) to the site and 
community. In addition, the survey will examine various measures of 
clinician retention in underserved areas. The Survey of NHSC Clinicians 
(current) will also assess attitudes about the NHSC experience 
including recruitment, placement and service contribution to the site 
and community. The Survey of Administrators in Sites with NHSC 
Clinicians will assess sites' experiences with NHSC clinicians and will 
provide an assessment of their service contributions to the site and 
community. The data collected through the surveys will be used to 
formulate programmatic and policy recommendations designed to 
strengthen the NHSC program and increase its effectiveness.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              No. of                            
                                                                 No. of     responses   Avg.burden/     Total   
                       Type of survey                         respondents      per        response      burden  
                                                                            respondent   (in hours)     hours   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alumni Survey...............................................         2264            1           .5         1132
Current Clinician Survey....................................         1411            1           .5          706
Site Administrator Survey...................................          252            1           .5          126
    Total...................................................         3927            1           .5         1964
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 25200]]

    Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. 
Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

    Dated: April 30, 1997.
J. Henry Montes,
Director, Office of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-12054 Filed 5-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P