[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30916-30917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12224]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-04-58]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 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 
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

[[Page 30917]]

on respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Send comments to 
Seleda Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton 
Road, MS-E11, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. 
Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Surveys to Determine the National Incidence of Healthcare-
associated Infections and Hospital Surveillance Methods--New--National 
Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC). Approximately 2 million hospital patients develop 
infections acquired while hospitalized (nosocomial infections) each 
year. The National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system 
provides national data for nosocomial infections in the U.S. Currently, 
NNIS hospitals provide data on infections in surgical patients and 
patients in intensive care units (ICUs) only. Consequently, national 
estimates of the incidence and burden of healthcare-associated 
infections in all hospitalized patients are incomplete. Additionally, 
only about 300 of the nation's 5000 hospitals report data to NNIS, so 
surveillance methods at most U.S. hospitals are unknown.
    This proposed project consists of two surveys. The objective of the 
first survey will be to estimate the total number and rate per 100 
inpatient discharges of the five most common healthcare-associated 
infections in U.S. hospitals. The objective of the second survey is to 
determine surveillance methods routinely used by U.S. hospitals to 
monitor nosocomial infections.
    The first survey (Incidence of Nosocomial Infections) will involve 
the use of a simplified nosocomial infections data collection 
instrument that includes questions covering the five most common 
healthcare associated infections. The survey will cover nosocomial 
laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, 
surgical site infections, Clostridium difficile-associated 
gastrointestinal infections, and pneumonia. Data will be abstracted by 
the hospital Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) or designee. The ICP 
will review the charts of 20 consecutive discharged patients on a 
designated day and complete a form indicating whether each met 
specified criteria for nosocomial infections.
    The second survey (Surveillance Methods) will also be completed by 
a hospital ICP or designee. It will include questions on the number of 
personnel participating in surveillance for nosocomial infections, the 
types of events under surveillance, the methods used for surveillance, 
who the data is reported to, and preferences regarding CDC-sponsored 
healthcare surveillance systems.
    Participation in the proposed surveys will be voluntary. A random 
sample of 400 U.S. hospitals registered with the American Hospital 
Association (AHA) would be recruited for each survey, so there will be 
a total of 800 respondents. A deadline for the return of the surveys 
will be provided, after which non-respondents will be contacted and 
prompted to complete the surveys. Respondents may provide data on paper 
forms mailed to CDC or electronically via a secure Web site.
    These data will be used to estimate the total number and rate of 
infections per 100 inpatient discharges at U.S. hospitals as well as 
the site distribution of these infections. These estimates will be used 
by CDC and other Federal agencies to allocate resources and potentially 
to track rates over time. Additionally, the data will be used to better 
understand the methods that are used for surveillance and to improve 
CDC-sponsored healthcare surveillance systems.

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of        burden/      Total burden
                      Form                          respondents     responses/     response  (in       hours
                                                                    respondent         hrs)
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Incidence of Nosocomial Infections..............             400              20           10/60            1333
Surveillance Methods............................             400               1               1             400
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................             800  ..............  ..............            1733
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    In the above table, the number of respondents reflects the number 
of institutions, and the number of responses, reflects the number of 
forms completed per hospital for each survey. The burden per response 
is the time taken to review records and complete the appropriate 
form(s). The total burden is the cumulative time that would likely be 
taken for all respondents.

    Dated: May 17, 2004.
Joe E. Salter,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-12224 Filed 5-28-04; 8:45 am]
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