[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 249 (Friday, December 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79062-79063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32668]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)/
TRICARE Management Activity, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of new survey project.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested parties of a Military 
Health System (MHS) new survey project entitled, TRICARE Employee 
Survey. In accordance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Health Affairs announces a proposed new public information 
collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments 
are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed new 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 information 
collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the information collection on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by February 
25, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the information 
collection should be sent to LTC (P) Merrily MeGowan, Ph.D., M.S., 
U.S.A.; TRICARE Management Activity; HPA&E 5111 Leesburg Pike, Suite 
810 Falls Church, VA 22041.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection, please write to the above address.
    Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: TRICARE Employee Survey 
(TRES)
    Needs and Uses: the objective of this work is to provide the 
Department of Defense leadership with feedback from civilian and 
Military Healthcare System employees who work at Military Treatment 
Facilities (MTF) CONUS-wide. A supportive internal environment enhances 
employee performance, motivation, and commitment, which in turn enhance 
the quality of delivered healthcare. Understanding the level of 
employee commitment and employees' attitudes toward the things that 
drive that commitment will help identify organizational factors needing 
improvement. The goal of this work is to gain insight from MHS 
employees working within the direct care system about their attitudes, 
experiences and opinions of workplace structures and procedures. All 
employees of CONUS MTFs will be eligible to participate. By reporting 
on their experience with, and perceptions of, their organization and 
immediate work environment, they can identify factors that enable or 
hinder them from providing high quality care. The TRES intended to 
provide DoD with data that contributes to the delivery of high quality 
healthcare. The perspective of employees has not been collected 
systematically despite their important role in delivering care within 
the constraints of limited resources and complicated guidelines. The 
first goal of this work is to gain insight of employees regarding the 
challenges associated with treating patients under TRICARE. A

[[Page 79063]]

survey instrument is needed that will capture information regarding 
employee opinions of how well TRICARE supports them to provide patients 
with needed care. It will identify how administrative policies and 
practices of TRICARE health plans effect healthcare delivery. A second 
goal of this work is to collect information that indicates how the 
attitudes and opinions of employees differ by specialty, region, and 
degree of participation with TRICARE. The survey data shall provide 
information needed to better plan, deliver, and evaluate health care 
services provided in the military health system (MHS).
    Affected Public: Individual households (TRICARE Employees CONUS-
wide).
    Annual Burden Hours: 333 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Response Per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: .333 hrs.
    Frequency: Once.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This request encompasses all activities 
required to conduct and develop a report of findings of a confidential 
survey of TRICARE employees CONUS-wide to assess their attitudes and 
opinions regarding their ability to provide high quality care.

    Dated: November 16, 2002.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 02-32668 Filed 12-26-02; 8:45 am]
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