[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 64084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22241]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection 
Comment Request

    In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
Title 44, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects being developed for submission to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. To request more 
information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data 
collection plans, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-
1129.
    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 of other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Data Collection Tool for Rural Hospital Flexibility 
Grant Program: (New)

    The mission of the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) is to 
sustain and improve access to quality care services for rural 
communities. In its authorizing language (Sec. 711. [42 U.S.C. 912]), 
Congress charged ORHP with ``administer[ing] grants, cooperative 
agreements, and contracts to provide technical assistance and other 
activities as necessary to support activities related to improving 
health care in rural areas.''
    In accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1820(g)(3)(F), the Health Resources 
and Services Administration proposes to revise the Rural Hospital 
Flexibility Grant Program--Guidance and Forms for the Application. The 
guidance is used annually by 45 States in writing applications for 
Grants under the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex) of the 
Social Security Act, and in preparing the required report.
    ORHP seeks to expand the information gathered from Grantees on 
their use of the grant funds. Flex Grantees would be required to report 
on the number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), other eligible 
hospitals, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers, or rural health 
networks they have worked with during the grant period. Areas that can 
work with the CAHs and eligible hospitals include: Strategic Planning, 
Board Training, Networking, Benchmarking/Quality Reporting, EMS--
Training, Medical Direction, Transfers, and Health Information 
Technology (HIT) Adoption. During the grant period the grantee can 
sponsor meetings, seminars, workshops, and/or use other means as 
appropriate to engage with the hospitals on any of the above subjects 
or others that are not listed. The Flex grantees would report 
information on the total number of hospitals or other organizations 
that participated in any sponsored activities, as well as provide the 
name of the hospitals and organizations and their addresses.
    In addition, ORHP seeks further information on the use of grant 
funds. Many Flex grantees use sub-contractual agreements to provide 
direct aid to CAHs, eligible hospitals, rural health networks, EMS 
providers or other organizations. ORHP will ask each Flex grantee to 
list all sub-contractual awards made during the grant period, identify 
the organization which received Flex funding, the amount they received, 
and the purpose of award. Services provided to CAHs, other hospitals or 
providers, EMS providers or other entities will be quantified and the 
value of the service provided will be submitted.
    Submission may be made through the use of a spreadsheet attached to 
the application.
    The estimated average annual burden is as follows:

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                                          Number of        Responses per     Burden hours per     Total burden
                Form                     respondents         respondent          response            hours
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Flex Report.........................                 45                  1               12.5              562.5
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    Total...........................                 45  .................  .................              562.5
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    Send comments to Susan G. Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance 
Officer, Room 10-33 Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 
Maryland 20857. Written comments should be received within 60 days of 
this notice.

    Dated: November 7, 2007.
Alexandra Huttinger,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. E7-22241 Filed 11-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P