[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 193 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53680-53681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26738]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection:
Comment Request
In compliance with the requirements for opportunity for public
comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c) (2)(A) of
Title 44, 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 or to obtain a copy of the data
collection plans and draft instruments, 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: National Practitioner Data Bank for Adverse
Information on Physicians and Other Health Care Practitioners:
Regulations and Forms, OMB No. 0915-0126: Extension
The National Practitioner Data Bank (Data Bank) was established
through Title IV of Pub. L. 99-660, the Health Care Quality Improvement
Act of 1986, as amended. Final Regulations governing the Data Bank are
codified at 45 CFR Part 60. Responsibility for Data Bank implementation
and operation resides in the Bureau of Health Professions, Health
Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS). The Data Bank began operation on September 1,
1990.
The intent of Title IV of Pub. L. 99-660 is to improve the quality
of health care by encouraging hospitals, State licensing boards,
professional societies, and other entities providing health care
services, to identify and discipline those who engage in unprofessional
behavior;
[[Page 53681]]
and to restrict the ability of incompetent physicians, dentists, and
other health care practitioners to move from State to State without
disclosure of the practitioners' previous damaging or incompetent
performance.
The Data Bank acts primarily as a flagging system; its principal
purpose is to facilitate comprehensive review of practitioners'
professional credentials and background. Information on medical
malpractice payments, adverse licensure actions, adverse clinical
privileging actions, and adverse professional society actions is
collected from, and disseminated to eligible entities. It is intended
that Data Bank information should be considered with other relevant
information in evaluating a practitioner's credentials.
This request is for an extension of reporting and querying forms
previously approved in February 1996. The reporting forms and the
request for information forms (query forms) may be accessed, completed,
and submitted to the Data Bank electronically through the use of a
program designated QPRAC 4 which is provided by the DHHS. The DHHS has
developed a separate query form for practitioners making self-queries.
This request also includes several administrative forms which have been
developed since the last clearance.
The following estimates of burden are based on actual Data Bank
operational experience:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Responses per Hours per Total burden
Type of Activity--45 CFR 60.0 respondents respondent response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting:
Reports Correcting Errors and
Omissions--60.6(a)................ 1,600 1.06 . 25 424
Reports of Revision to Actions
Previously Reported--60.6(b)...... 390 1.04 .75 304
Report of Medical Malpractice
Payments--60.7(b)................. 525 27.3285 .75 14,347
Reports of Adverse Actions by State
Medical and Dental Boards--60.8(b) 125 32.56 .75 3,053
Reports of Adverse Action Regarding
Clinical Privileges and
Professional Society Memberships--
60.9(a)........................... 3975 1.03 .75 753
Entity Hearings:
Requests for Hearing by Entities--
60.9(c)........................... \1\ 1 1 8.0 8
Requests for Information Disclosure
(Query):
Queries by Hospitals for
Practitioner Applications--
60.10(a)(1)....................... 6,000 40 \4\ .083 19,920
Queries by Hospitals--Two Year
Cycle--60.10(a)(2)................ 6,000 160 .083 79,680
Queries by Hospitals--Peer Review--
60.11(a)(1)....................... \2\
Queries by Practitioners (Self-
Query)--60.11(a)(2)............... 60,000 1 .50 30,000
Queries by Licensure Boards--
60.11(a)(3)....................... 125 120 .083 1,245
Queries by Non-Hospital Health Care
Entities--60.11(a)(4)............. 3,250 690 .083 186,128
Queries by Plaintiff's Attorneys--
60.11(a)(5)....................... (\3\) 1 1 .30 .5
Queries by Non-Hospital Health Care
Entities--Peer Review--60.11(a)(6) (\3\)
Requests by Researchers for
Aggregate Information--60.11(a)(7) 100 1 .50 50
Disputes:
Practitioner Places a Dispute in
His/Her Data Bank Report--60.14(b) 1,200 1 .5 600
Practitioner Places a Statement in
His/Her Data Bank Report--60.14(b) 1,350 1 1.0 1,350
Practitioner Requests Review of the
Disputed Report by The Secretary
DHHS--60.14(b).................... 135 1 8.0 1,080
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADMINISTRATIVE FORMS USED IN OPERATING THE NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entity Registration Form............... 150 1 1.0 150
Entity Registration Update Form........ 100 1 .25 25
Authorized Agent Designation Form...... 25 1 .25 6.25
Authorized Agent Designation Update.... 5 1 .083 .42
Account Discrepancy Report............. 200 1 .25 50
Electronic Transfer of Funds
Authorization......................... 25 1 .25 6.25
Entity Reactivation.................... 50 1 .25 12.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................ .............. ................. ................. 339,193
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There have been no hearing requests from reporting entities since the opening of the Data Bank.
\2\ We are unable to distinguish between these and other types of queries made by hospitals and other health
care entities.
\3\ There have been approximately 12 attorney requests since the opening of the Data Bank; of these, one has
been granted.
\4\ 5 minutes.
Send comments to Susan Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance
Officer, Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville,
Maryland 20857, (301) 443-1129; Written comments should be received
within 60 days of this notice.
Dated: September 30, 1998.
Jane Harrison,
Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 98-26738 Filed 10-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P