[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 190 (Monday, October 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57599-57601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19681]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-05-0298]


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 404-371-5983 
and send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email 
to [email protected].
    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 on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS)--OMB No. 0920-0298--
Reinstatement with change--National Center for Health Statistics 
(NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Background and Brief Description

    The National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS) is part of the 
Long-term Care Component of the National Health Care Survey. The NHHCS 
was conducted in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996,

[[Page 57600]]

1998, and 2000. NHHCS data describe a major segment of the long-term 
care system and are used extensively for health care research, health 
planning and public policy. The NHHCS provides data on the 
characteristics of home health and hospice agencies (e.g., Medicare and 
Medicaid certification, ownership, membership in chains/nursing home/
hospital systems, etc.); patients (e.g., demographics, functional 
status, services received, diagnoses, sources of payment, etc.); and 
staff (e.g. staffing mix, turnover, benefits, training, education, 
etc.). The survey provides detailed information on utilization and 
staffing patterns, and quality of care variables that are needed to 
make accurate assessments of the need for and effects of changes in the 
provision and financing of long-term care for the elderly and disabled. 
The availability and use of long-term care services are becoming 
increasingly important issues as the number of elderly increases and 
persons with disabilities live longer. Equally as important is ensuring 
the adequacy and availability of the long-term care workforce. The 2007 
NHHCS will include a supplemental survey on home health aides. The 
upcoming survey has been redesigned and expanded to better meet the 
data needs of researchers and health care planners working to ensure 
that quality long-term care will be available for the nation's growing 
senior population. The survey will utilize a computer-assisted personal 
interviewing (CAPI) system. This computerized system makes it easier 
for respondents to participate in the survey and accelerates the flow 
of data, making it possible to release information on a timelier basis.
    Users of NHHCS data include: The National Immunization Program and 
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC; the 
Congressional Research Office; the Bureau of Health Professions, Health 
Resources and Services Administration; the Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE); the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality; and the National Association for Health Care; the 
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization; the American Health 
Care Association; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); 
Bureau of the Census, and the American Association of Retired Persons. 
Other users of these data include universities, foundations, and a 
variety of users in the print media and the private sector.
    NCHS plans to conduct the next NHHCS in August-December 2007 and 
during the same months in 2008. These two national surveys follow a 
pretest of the forms and procedures in August-September 2006. The data 
collection procedures and content have been extensively revised from 
the previous NHHCS. The 2007 NHHCS will be based on computer-assisted 
personal interview (CAPI) methodology. There is no cost to respondents 
other than their time to participate. The burden tables below include 
the average annual burden for the pretest and the national survey.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden/    Response
               Respondents pretest                   Number of      responses/        response        burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)        (hours)
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Agency Level Data Collection (CAPI).............              17               1           30/60               9
Agency Staff Questionnaire......................              17               1           50/60              14
Current/Discharge Patient Sampling..............              17               1           20/60               6
Current Home Health Patient Data Collection                    8              12           25/60              40
 (CAPI).........................................
Hospice Discharge Patient Data Collection (CAPI)               8              12           25/60              40
Home Health Aide Sampling.......................               8               1           15/60               2
Home Health Aide Data Collection (CAPI).........               8               8           30/60              32
                                                 -----------------
    Total Pretest...............................  ..............  ..............  ..............             143
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                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of        burden/        Response
           Respondents national survey              respondents     responses/     response  (in      burden
                                                                    respondent        hours)          (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agency Level Data Collection (CAPI).............             500               1           30/60             250
Agency Staff Questionnaire......................             500               1           50/60             417
Current/Discharge Patient Sampling..............             500               1           20/60             167
Current Home Health Patient Data Collection                  250              12           25/60           1,250
 (CAPI).........................................
Hospice Discharge Patient Data Collection (CAPI)             250              12           25/60           1,250
Home Health Aide Sampling.......................             263               1           15/60              66
Home Health Aide Data Collection (CAPI).........             263               8           30/60           1,052
                                                 -----------------
    Total National Survey.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............           4,452
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[[Page 57601]]

    Dated: September 27, 2005.
Betsey Dunaway,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 05-19681 Filed 9-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P