[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 47 (Monday, March 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12739-12740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4651]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-08-08AS]


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 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Maryam I. Daneshvar, CDC Acting Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
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

    Surveys of BioSense Trainings,--New--National Center for Public 
Health Informatics (NCPHI), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Congress passed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 
Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, which requires specific 
activities related to bioterrorism preparedness and response. This 
congressional mandate outlines the need for improving the overall 
public's health through electronic surveillance. The Department of 
Health and Human Services outlined strategies aimed at achieving this 
goal via the Public Health IT Initiative thereby creating the BioSense 
program.
    BioSense is the national, human health surveillance system designed 
to improve the nation's capabilities for disease detection, monitoring, 
and real-time health situational awareness. This work is enhanced by 
providing public health real-time access to existing data from 
healthcare organizations, state syndromic surveillance systems, 
national laboratories, and others for just in time public health 
decision-making. BioSense data are analyzed through advanced 
statistical methods, and made accessible through the BioSense 
application. The application provides data, charts, graphs, and maps 
through a secure web-based interface which can be accessed by CDC and 
authorized state and local public health and hospital users.
    In order to meet the congressional mandate, it is important that 
BioSense users understand the role of BioSense in daily surveillance as 
well as be able to use specific BioSense modalities to investigate or 
monitor any potential disease outbreaks and/or bioterrorist attacks. A 
series of training tools have been developed to educate BioSense users 
about how best to utilize BioSense in these circumstances.
    The training tools were developed based upon a 2007 needs 
assessment conducted among BioSense users. Training 1 is an online, 
self-paced training module designed for BioSense users at the beginner 
level who are not wholly familiar with BioSense or have not used the 
system on a regular basis. This module presents the background of 
BioSense and an overview of its general functions in a didactic 
training style. Training 2 is a virtual training filmed in Second Life. 
It is designed for intermediate to advanced level users who are aware 
of and have used the general BioSense functionalities for daily 
surveillance but want additional skills related to using BioSense 
during an emergency scenario. This scenario-based module is presented 
in an experiential training style.
    Data collection will take place in the form of an online survey 
immediately following each training module and a link to an online 
survey emailed 3-months post training. This data collection will assess 
the goals of these trainings, which are to help registered BioSense 
users (1) establish knowledge and efficacy necessary to use BioSense to 
investigate and/or monitor a potential event or outbreak; (2) 
facilitate communication between BioSense administrators in public 
health and hospital settings; (3) access BioSense trainings that are 
engaging and easy to use; and (4) use BioSense to investigate and/or 
monitor a potential event or outbreak. The post-training and 3-month 
follow-up surveys have been pre-tested with less than 9 participants. 
Survey results will be used to identify the impact and applicability of 
these training modules for BioSense users.
    There are no costs to survey respondents other than their time to 
participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Number of        Average burden
                Form                      Number of        responses per    per response  (in  Total burden  (in
                                         respondents         respondent           hours)             hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-Training Survey................                400                  1              10/60                 67
3-Month Follow Up Survey............                320                  1               5/60                 27
                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  .................  .................  .................                 94
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 12740]]

    Dated: February 29, 2008.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E8-4651 Filed 3-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P