[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45817-45818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3991]


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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 renewal of the generic 
information collection project: ``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.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 15, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 5036, 
Rockville, MD 20850, or by e-mail at [email protected].
    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

    ``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 its current 
data collections by developing new surveys, or information collection 
tools and methods, and by revising existing collections in anticipation 
of, or in response to, changes in the healthcare field, for a three-
year period. The clearance request is limited to research on in 
formation collection tools and methods, and related reports and does 
not extend to the collection of data for public release or policy 
formation.''
    A generic clearance for this work allows AHRQ to draft and test 
information collection tools and methods more quickly and with greater 
lead time, thereby managing project time more efficiently and improving 
the quality of the methodological data the agency collects.
     In some instances the ability to pretest/pilot-test information 
collection surveys, tools and methods, in anticipation of work, or 
early in a project, may request in the decision not to proceed with 
particular survey activities. This would save both public and private 
resources and effectively eliminate or reduce respondent burden.
    Many of the tools AHRQ develops are made available to users in the 
private sector. The healthcare environment changes rapidly and inquires 
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 information collection tools and 
methods suitable for use in changing conditions.
    It is particularly important to refine AHRQ's tools because they 
have a widespread impact. These tools are frequently made available to 
help the private sector to improve health care quality by enabling the 
gathering of useful data for analysis. They are also used to provide 
information about health care quality to consumers and purchasers so 
that they can make marketplace choices to influence and improve health 
care quality. The current clearance will expire January 31, 2008. This 
is a request for a generic approval from OMB to test information 
collection instruments and methods over the next three years.

Methods of Collection

    Participation in the testing of information collection tools and 
methods will be fully voluntary and non-participation will have no 
effect 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.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

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                                                                               Estimated time
                 Type of research activity                      Number of      per respondent     Total burden
                                                               respondents        (minutes)           hours
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Face-to-Face Interviews...................................               100                60               100
Field Tests (short).......................................             2,400                20               800
Field Tests (long)........................................             7,600                30             3,800
Lab Experiments...........................................               200                90               300
Focus Groups..............................................               100                60               100
Cognitive Interviews......................................               100                60               100
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Totals................................................            10,500    Not Applicable             5,200
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    This information collection will not impose a cost burden on the 
respondents beyond that associated with their time to provide the 
required data. There will be no additional costs for capital equipment, 
software, computer services, etc.

[[Page 45818]]

Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government

    Expenses (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 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 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: August 7, 2007
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 07-3991 Filed 8-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M