[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65596-65597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31778]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the request of the Agency for Health 
Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for a generic approval of ``Voluntary Customer Surveys of 
`Partners' of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research''. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the AHCPR invites the public to comment on this 
proposed information collection request to allow it to conduct 
voluntary customer satisfaction surveys of partners. AHCPR will publish 
periodic summaries of proposed projects to be carried out under this 
generic approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
requirements.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to the OMB Desk Officer 
at the following address: Allison Eydt, Human Resources and Housing 
Branch, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB: New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235; Washington, DC 20503. All 
comments will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth A. Celtnieks, AHCPR Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 594-1406, ext. 1497.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

    ``Voluntary Customer Surveys of `Partners' of the Agency for Health 
Care Policy and Research.''
    In response to Executive Order 12862, the Agency for Health Care 
Policy and Research (AHCPR) plans to conduct voluntary customer surveys 
of ``partners'' to identify how well AHCPR is performing its functions 
with its partners and to use this information to determine the kind and 
quality of services they like and expect, their level of satisfaction 
with existing services, and to implement improvements where feasible 
and practical. AHCPR partners are typically health care payers, plans, 
practitioners and providers, researchers, professional associations, 
AHCPR data suppliers, and State and local governments, as well as 
persons or entities that provide service to the public for AHCPR, e.g., 
dissemination of AHCPR publications by a ``middle man'' such as a 
professional society.
    Partner surveys to be conducted by AHCPR may include, for example, 
surveys of research grantees to measure satisfaction with technical 
assistance received from AHCPR. Results of these surveys will be used 
to assess and redirect resources and efforts needed to improve 
services. For example, the AHCPR's Office of Research Review, 
Education, and Policy (ORREP) provides grant funds for training of 
health services researchers. AHCPR would like to survey scholars whose 
training it has supported regarding their training experience.
    In addition, the Office for Health Care Information (OHCI) is 
proposing to survey one component of their customers: researchers. This 
proposed survey will be undertaken by a contractor to determine how 
AHCPR could better serve the research community.
    Questions asked may include a need for extended hours to answer 
inquiries on grant submission-related matters or the development of a 
comprehensive manual on grant submission.

Method of Collection

    The data will be collected using a combination of preferred 
methodologies appropriate to each survey. These methodologies are: mail 
surveys; evaluation forms; automated and electronic technology (e.g., 
AHCPR Clearinghouse Publications, Instantfax); telephone surveys; and 
focus groups.
    The estimated annual burden is as follows:

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                                                    No. of                                        Total hours of
                Type of survey                    respondents        Average burden/response          burden
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Mail/Telephone Surveys or Electronic                     3,000  20 minutes......................           1,000
 Technologies.
Focus Groups..................................             200  1.5 Hours.......................             300
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    Totals....................................           3,200  .41 Hours.......................           1,300
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[[Page 65597]]

Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) the necessity of the proposed 
collections for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will 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 the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection.
    Copies of these proposed collections plans can be obtained from the 
AHCPR Reports Clearance Officer (see above).

    Dated: November 19, 1998.
John M. Eisenberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-31778 Filed 11-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M