[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1725-1726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-109]


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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: ``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of Pay-for-
Quality Programs.'' 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 October 24, 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 February 15, 2007.

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

``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of Pay-for-Quality (P4Q) 
Programs''

    The P4Q Evaluation is a multi-method research project designed to 
evaluate the implementation and impact of P4Q programs on physicians 
across three programs operating in health care safety net settings. The 
P4Q programs participating in the evaluation are offering their 
healthcare providers financial incentives to achieve predefined quality 
targets. Data collected as part of this evaluation will have direct 
operational relevance to payers and providers regarding the value and 
challenges of P4Q programs in safety net settings. The P4Q evaluation 
is designed to assess whether P4Q programs in such settings improve 
quality on the measures that are the focus of the programs and also 
whether the programs lead to unintended consequences. The P4Q 
evaluation will also seek to identify design and implementation 
practices that are likely to increase as well as decrease the risks of 
negative outcomes resulting from the implementation of P4Q programs in 
safety net settings.
    Data collection under the P4Q evaluation will be approved by the 
Boston University's Medical Campus Institutional Review Board. It will 
be conducted in accordance with the Health Insurance Protection and 
Portability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule and with the Protection of Human 
Subjects regulations, 45 CFR part 46. In addition, the identifiable 
data collected in this study about provider organizations and 
individuals will only be used for the above-stated purposes and will be 
protected in accordance with the AHRQ confidentiality statute, section 
934(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)).

Methods of Collection

    The evaluation will use several methods to examine P4Q programs in 
safety net settings, including a survey and key informant interviews. 
Survey data will be obtained from physicians participating in P4Q 
programs using a confidential mailed questionnaire. The key informant 
interviews will consist of 35-minute semi-structured interviews with 
physician organization executives, practice leaders, physicians, and 
other senior managers in each study setting regarding program design, 
implementation, and impact. The research project investigators will 
interview up to six informants at each site.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    The table below indicates the total time burden required to obtain 
all the data required to meet the study's objectives. It does not 
include time required to analyze the data and prepare it for reporting 
and publication.

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                                                              Number of                                         Estimated
            Type of respondent                Number of     responses per    Estimated time per respondent    total burden   Estimated annual respondent
                                             respondents     respondent                                          (hours)             cost burden
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Physicians...............................             216               1  0.25 hours (15 minutes).........              54  $5,322.12 to cover costs of
                                                                                                                              responding to survey.
Practice executives and other senior                   24               1  0.58 hours (35 minutes).........              14  $841.35 to cover costs of
 managers.                                                                                                                    participating in in-person
                                                                                                                              interviews.
                                          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................  ..............  ..............  ................................              68  $6,163.47.
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Estimated Costs to the Federal Government

    The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to 
be $193,941. This funding will be used to support survey administration 
costs, salary and fringe benefits for the research team relating to the 
design and administration of the survey and informant interviews, and 
costs for two members of the research team to travel to each site for 
the informant interviews. The project will attempt to minimize burden 
to physician survey respondents by distributing surveys at medical 
staff meetings.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act 
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 
AHRQ health care research and health care information dissemination 
functions, 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

[[Page 1726]]

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 Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the 
proposed information collection. all comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: January 4, 2007.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 07-109 Filed 1-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M