[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51132-51133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24520]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Request for Generic 
Clearance To Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner Surveys

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 to provide opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Library of 
Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish 
periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

Proposed Collection

    Title: Voluntary Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Type of Information 
Collection Request: New. New and Use of Information Collection: 
Executive Order 12962 directs agencies that provide significant 
services directly to the public to survey customers to determine the 
kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction 
with existing services. Additionally, since 1994, the NLM has been a 
``Federal Reinvention Laboratory'' with a goal of improving its methods 
of delivering information to the public. An essential strategy in 
accomplishing reinvention goals is the ability to periodically receive 
input and feedback from customers about the design and quality of the 
services they receive.
    The NLM provides significant services directly to the public 
including health providers, researchers, universities, other federal 
agencies, state and local governments, and to others through a range of 
mechanisms, including publications, technical assistance, and web 
sites. These services are primarily focused on health and medical 
information dissemination activities. The purpose of this submission is 
to obtain OMB's generic approval to conduct satisfaction surveys of 
NLM's customers. The NLM will use the information provided by 
individuals and institutions to identify strengths and weaknesses in 
current services and to make improvements where feasible. The ability 
to periodically survey NLM's customers is essential to continually 
update and upgrade methods of providing high quality service. Frequency 
of Response: Annually or biennially. Affected Public: Individuals or 
households; businesses or other for profit; state or local governments; 
Federal agencies; non-profit institutions; small businesses or 
organizations. Type of Respondents: Organizations, medical researchers, 
physicians and other health care providers, librarians, students, and 
the general public. Annual reporting burden is an follows:

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                                                                     Number of       Estimated
            Title of Survey                  Type of survey         respondents    response time   Burden hours
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Evaluation of Clinical Studies          Web-based...............           1,000            .167             167
 Database.
Visible Human Project--Image            Electronic Mail.........           1,000             .25             250
 Processing Tools.
PubMed................................  Web-based...............           5,000           .0835             418
Entrez................................  Web-based...............           2,000           .0835             167
GeneMap...............................  Web-based...............           2,000           .0835             167
NCBI Web Site.........................  Web-based...............           2,000           .0835             167
NLM Service Desk Survey...............  Interactive Voice                    400           .0835              33
                                         Response telephone.
NLM Onsite Reading Room Use...........  Exit Interview..........             500            .167              84
NLM Electronic Mail Customer Survey...  Electronic Mail.........           1,000           .0835              84
MEDLINEplus User Survey...............  Web-based...............             500           .0835              59
Survey of Unified Medical Language      Mail Survey.............           1,000              .5             500
 System (UMLS) Use.
NLM Services Satisfaction Survey......  Web-based...............           2,000           .0835             167
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    Total.............................  ........................  ..............  ..............           2,163
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[[Page 51133]]

    There are no capital costs to report. There are no operating or 
maintenance costs to report.

Request for Comments

    Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies are invited on one or more of the following points: (1) 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request additional information on the 
proposed collection of information contact Ronald F. Stewart, National 
Library of Medicine, Building 38, Room 2N07, 8600 Rockville Pike, 
Bethesda, MD 20894, or call non-toll free number (301) 496-6491. You 
may also e-mail your request to: [email protected].

Comments Due Date

    Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of 
having their full effect if received on of before November 22, 1999.

    Dated: September 13, 1999.
Donald C. Poppke,
Associate Director for Administrative Management, National Library of 
Medicine.
[FR Doc. 99-24520 Filed 9-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M