[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 7237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3171]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Physicians' Experience of 
Ethical Dilemmas and Resource Allocation

    Summary: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(Pub. L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations 
at 5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice 
announces the intention of the Department of Clinical Bioethics, 
National Institutes of Health (NIHDCB) to request approval for a new 
information collection, Physicians' Experience of Ethical Dilemmas and 
Resource Allocation. The proposed information collection was previously 
published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2003, on page 36567-36568 
and allowed 60-days for public comment. No public comments were 
received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days 
for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct 
or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an 
information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented 
on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.
    Proposed Collection: Title: Physicians' Experience of Ethical 
Dilemmas and Resource Allocation. Type of Information Collection 
Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: Health care costs 
are rising ceaselessly and there are currently no generally accepted 
way of controlling them. This study will access the experience of 
physicians regarding resource allocation in clinical practice, and how 
allocation decisions made at other levels shapes this experience. The 
primary objectives of the study are to determine if physicians make 
decisions to withhold interventions on the basis of cost, how often 
they report doing so, what types of care are withheld, and what 
criteria are used in making such decisions. The findings will provide 
valuable information concerning: (1) The practice of resource 
allocation in clinical practice, (2) the possible effects of perceived 
constraints on this practice, and (3) international comparisons on 
these two aspects. Frequency of Responses: Once. Affected Public: 
Individuals or households; businesses or other for-profit; not-for-
profit institutions. Type of Respondents: Physicians. The annual 
reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 250; 
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours 
Per Response: .0.3674; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours 
Requested: 91.85. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: 
$5,218. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or Maintenance 
Costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the 
following points: (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(4) 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.
    Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions 
regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding 
the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be 
directed to the: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory 
Affairs, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 
20503, Attention: Desk Officer for NIH. To request more information on 
the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans 
and instruments, contact: Dr. Marion Danis, Department of Clinical 
Bioethics, DCB, CC, NIH, Building 10, Room 1C 118, 9000 Rockville Pike, 
Bethesda, MD 20892-1156, or call non-toll-free number 301-435-8727 or 
e-mail your request, including your address to: [email protected].
    Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30-days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: February 4, 2004.
David K. Henderson,
Deputy Director, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National 
Institutes of Health.
Christine Grady,
Director, Department of Clinical Bioethics, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical 
Center, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-3171 Filed 2-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M