[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53695-53696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7585]


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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, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

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: ``Eisenberg Center Voluntary Customer Survey Generic Clearance 
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 July 5, 2006 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 October 12, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 5036, 
Rockville, MD 20850. Copies of the proposed collection plans, data 
collection instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden 
can be obtained from AHRQ's Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

    ``Eisenberg Center Voluntary Customer Survey Generic Clearance for 
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality''.
    AHRQ's newly-established Eisenberg Center is an innovative effort 
aimed at improving communication of findings to a variety of audiences 
(``customers''), including consumers, clinicians, payers, and health 
care policy makers. The Eisenberg Center, one of three components of 
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program announced in September 2005, is 
directed through a contract by the Oregon Health and Science 
University, Department of Medicine, located in Portland, Oregon. The 
Eisenberg Center intends to employ the latest survey research 
techniques to (1) determine how well its products and services are 
meeting customers' current and anticipated needs; (2) identify problem 
areas with existing products and services and determine what 
improvements should be made to improve these products and services; and 
(3) identify and develop new products and services.
    To address customer requirements and to evaluate current and future 
AHRQ products and services, the Eisenberg Center must periodically 
determine how well the Eisenberg Center products and services are 
meeting customers' current and anticipated needs. Work conducted under 
this clearance will improve the products and services the Center 
develops for AHRQ for a three year period. The health care environment 
changes rapidly and requires a quick response from AHRQ to provide 
appropriately refined products and services. A generic clearance for 
this work will facilitate AHRQ's timely response to customers' needs.

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, 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.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

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                                                                    Number of     Average hours
                         Type of survey                            respondents    per response     Total hours
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Focus groups for needs assessment..............................              30           1                 30
Individual interviews for needs assessment.....................              50            .75              37.5

[[Page 53696]]

 
Formative focus groups for information tools...................             120           1                120
Cognitive testing of information tools.........................             500           1                500
Clinician interviews for information tools.....................             160            .75             120
Decision aid laboratory testing................................             100           1                100
Formative focus groups for decision aids.......................              60           1                 60
Automated/web-based surveys for product evaluation.............             600            .163             98
Telephone interviews for product evaluation....................             100           1                100
Focus groups for product evaluation............................              20           1                 20
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
     Totals....................................................           1,740          NA              1,186
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Estimated Costs to the Federal Government

    The maximum cost to the Federal Government is $750,000 annually for 
FY 2007, FY 2008, and FY 2009. Most of the work will be carried out 
through contracts. The costs were estimated at $200 for each face-to-
face interview, $100 for each telephone interview, $5,000 for each 
focus group, $10,000 for Web-based surveys, and $20,000 for each 
laboratory testing module. 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 AHRQ's 
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 health care information 
dissemination functions of AHRQ, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden 
(including hours and costs) of the proposed collection(s) 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: August 31, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-7585 Filed 9-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M