[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61382-61383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23234]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) allow the proposed information collection 
project:

[[Page 61383]]

``Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research 
for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality''. In accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed 
information collection.
    This proposed information collection was previously published in 
the Federal Register on August 16th, 2004 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.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 17, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: John Kraemer, at 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB at the email 
address [email protected] and the fax number is (202) 395-6974.
    Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection 
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be 
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1651.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

``Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research 
for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality''

    AHRQ plans to employ the latest techniques to improve it's current 
data collections by developing new surveys, and by revising existing 
surveys in anticipation of, or in response to, changes in the 
healthcare field, for a 3 year period. The clearance request is limited 
to testing research questionnaires, data collection methods, and 
related reports. Data collected under this clearance will be used to 
improve agency products and such data are not intended for direct use 
in the development of health policy. The final instruments will be used 
for subsequent data collections that may impact health policies. A 
generic clearance for his work will allow AHRQ to draft and test survey 
instruments more quickly and with greater lead time, thereby managing 
project time more efficiently and improving the quality of the data it 
collects.
    It is envisioned that in some instances the ability to pretest/
pilot-test survey-related instruments, in anticipation of work, or 
early in a project, may result in the decision not to proceed with 
particular survey activities, thereby saving both public and private 
resources and effectively eliminating or reducing respondent burden.
    The health care environment changes rapidly and requires a quick 
response from the agency to provide appropriately refined tools. A 
generic clearance for this methodological work will facilitate the 
agency's timely development of survey tools suitable for use in 
changing conditions.
    It is particularly important to refine AHRQ's survey tools because 
many of the survey tools AHRQ develops are made widely available to 
users in the private sector. They are made available to help the 
private sector improve health care quality by enabling the gathering of 
useful data for analysis and for providing information about health 
care quality to consumers and purchasers so that they can use their 
marketplace choices to influence and improve health care quality.

Methods of Collection

    Participation in survey testing will be fully voluntary and non-
participation will have no affect on eligibility for, or receipt of, 
future AHRQ health services research support or on future opportunities 
to participate in research or to obtain informative research results. 
Specific estimation procedures, when used, will be described when we 
notify OMB as to actual studies conducted under the clearance.

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                                                                                                         Total
          Type of research activity               Number of        Estimated time per respondent        burden
                                                 respondents                                             hours
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Face-to-Face Interviews......................             100  60 minutes...........................         100
Field Tests (short)..........................           2,400  20 minutes...........................         800
Field Tests (long)...........................           7,600  30 minutes...........................       3,800
Lab Experiments..............................             200  90 minutes...........................         300
Focus Groups.................................             100  60 minutes...........................         100
Cognitive Interviews.........................             100  60 minutes...........................         100
                                              -----------------
    Totals...................................          10,500  Not Applicable.......................       5,200
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Estimated Costs to the Federal Government

    Expenses for equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff will 
be incurred by AHRQ components as part of their normal operating 
budgets. No additional cost to the Federal Government is anticipated. 
Any deviation from these limits will be noted in reports made to OMB 
with respect to a particular study or studies conducted under the 
clearance.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above-cited legislation, comments on the 
AHRQ information collection are requested with regard to any of the 
following: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of functions of AHRQ, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy 
of the AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and cost) 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 upon the 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval of the proposed 
information collection. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: October 4, 2004.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 04-23234 Filed 10-15-04; 8:45 am]
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