[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4883-4884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2233]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

    Periodically, the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) publishes abstracts of information collection requests under 
review by the Office of Management and Budget, in compliance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a 
copy of the clearance requests submitted to OMB for review, call the 
HRSA Reports Clearance Office on (301)-443-1129.
    The following request has been submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995:
    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 Public Law 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 Public Law 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; 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:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Responses
     Type of activity--45 CFR 60.0       Number of        per             Hours per response        Total burden
                                        respondents   respondent                                        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting:
    Reports Correcting Errors and             1,600        1.06    .25............................        424
     Omissions--60.6(a).
    Reports of Revision to Actions              390        1.04    .75............................        304
     Previously Reported--60.6(b).
    Report of Medical Malpractice               525       27.3285  .75............................     10,760
     Payments--60.7(b).
    Reports of Adverse Actions by               125       32.56    .75............................      3,053
     State Medical and Dental Boards--
     60.8(b).
    Reports of Adverse Action                   975        1.03    .75............................        753
     Regarding Clinical Privileges and
     Professional Society Memberships--
     60.9(a)3.
Entity Hearings:
    Requests for Hearing by Entities--           *1        1       8.0............................          8
     60.9(c).

[[Page 4884]]

 
Requests for Information Disclosure
 (Query):
    Queries by Hospitals for                  6,000       40       .083...........................     20,000
     Practitioner Applications--                                   5 Minutes
     60.10(a)(1).
    Queries by Hospitals--Two Year            6,000      160       .083...........................     80,000
     Cycle--60.10(a)(2).
    Queries by Hospitals--Peer Review--        (**)  ............  ...............................  ............
     60.11(a)(1).
    Queries by Practitioners (Self-          60,000        1       .50............................     30,000
     Query)--60.11(a)(2).
    Queries by Licensure Boards--               125      120       .083...........................      1,245
     60.11(a)(3).
    Queries by Non-Hospital Health            3,250      690       .083...........................    186,874
     Care Entities--60.11(a)(4).
    Queries by Plaintiff's Attorneys--         ***1        1       .30............................           .5
     60.11(a)(5).
    Queries by Non-Hospital Health              ***  ............  ...............................  ............
     Care Entities--Peer Review--
     60.11(a)(6).
    Requests by Researchers for                 100        1       .50............................         50
     Aggregate Information--
     60.11(a)(7).
Disputes:
    Practitioner Places a Dispute in          1,200        1       .5.............................        600
     His/Her Data Bank Report--
     60.14(b).
    Practitioner Places a Statement in        1,350        1       1.0............................      1,350
     His/Her Data Bank Report--
     60.14(b).
    Practitioner Requests Review of             135        1       8.0............................      1,080
     the Disputed Report by The
     Secretary DHHS--60.14(b).
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                  5        1       .083...........................           .42
     Update.
    Account Discrepancy Report........          200        1       .25............................         50
    Electronic Transfer of Funds                 25        1       .25............................          6.25
     Authorization.
    Entity Reactivation...............           50        1       .25............................         12.5
                                       ---------------------------                                 -------------
        Total.........................  ...........  ............  ...............................    336,757
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*There have been no hearing requests from reporting entities since the opening of the Data Bank.
**We are unable to distinguish between these and other types of queries made by hospitals and other health care
  entities.
***There have been approximately 12 attorney requests since the opening of the Data Bank; of these, one has been
  granted.

    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to: 
Wendy A. Taylor, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: January 26, 1999.
Jane Harrison,
Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 99-2233 Filed 1-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-U