[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20676-20677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8060]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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

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) approve the proposed information collection 
project: ``Assessing the Impact of the Patient Safety Improvement Corps 
(PSIC) Training Program.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 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 June 16, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 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 the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

Assessing the Impact of the Patient Safety Improvement Corps (PSIC) 
Training Program

    AHRQ proposes to assess the impact of the PSIC training program. 
This three-week program was designed and implemented by AHRQ and the 
Veterans' Administration's (VA) National Center for Patient Safety 
(NCPS) to improve patient safety by training participants in various 
patient safety concepts, tools, information, and techniques. The PSIC 
program represents a new approach to training for AHRQ by focusing on 
disseminating patient safety information and building skill sets to 
ultimately foster a national network of individuals who support, 
promote, and speak a common language of patient safety. Participants 
have included representatives from State health departments, hospitals 
and health systems, Quality Improvement Organizations, and a very small 
number of other types of organizations. AHRQ will use an independent 
contractor to conduct the assessment of the PSIC training program. The 
goal of the assessment is to determine the extent to which the PSIC 
concepts, tools, information, and techniques have been used on the job 
by training participants and successfully disseminated within and 
beyond the participating organizations, local areas, regions, and 
States. AHRQ is assessing the PSIC program pursuant to its authority 
under 42 U.S.C. 299(b) and 42 U.S.C. 299a(a) to evaluate its strategies 
for improving health care quality.
    The assessment involves two Web-based questionnaires to examine 
post-training activities and patient safety outcomes of the training 
from multiple perspectives. One questionnaire is directed to training 
participants while the other is directed to leaders of the 
organizations from which the training participants were selected. 
Questionnaires will focus on the following topics: (1) Post-PSIC 
activities (including how PSIC material has been utilized in their home 
organizations, types of patient safety activities conducted post-PSIC, 
and number of people trained in some or all aspects of PSIC since their 
attendance); (2) barriers to and facilitators of the use of PSIC in the 
workplace; and (3) perceived outcomes of PSIC participation (e.g., 
improved patient safety; improved patient safety processes, standards, 
or policies; improved investigative and analytical processes and 
selection and implementation of patient safety interventions; improved 
patient safety culture; improved communications).

Method of Collection

    All training participants and organizational leaders from 
participating organizations will be invited to respond to their 
corresponding Web-based questionnaire. Invitations will be sent via e-
mail, using contact information previously collected by AHRQ and NCPS. 
Standard non-response follow-up techniques, such as two reminder e-
mails that include the link to the questionnaire, will be used. 
Individuals and organizations will be assured of the privacy of their 
responses.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the 
respondents' time to participate in the study. Each questionnaire is 
expected to require about 30 minutes to complete, resulting in a total 
burden of 188 hours.
    Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden based on the 
respondents' time to participate in the study. The total cost burden is 
estimated to be $6,278.60.

                                  Exhibit 1.--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of
                    Form name                        Number of     responses per     Hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training participant questionnaire..............             300               1           30/60             150
Organizational leader questionnaire.............              75               1           30/60              38
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             375              NA              NA             188
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                  Exhibit 2.--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of     Total burden   Average hourly    Total cost
                    Form name                       respondents        hours        wage rate*        burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training participant questionnaire..............             300             150          $32.18       $4,827.00

[[Page 20677]]

 
Organizational leader questionnaire.............              75              38          $38.20       $1,451.60
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             375             188              NA      $6,278.60
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Based upon the mean of the average wages for health professionals for the training participant questionnaire
  and for executives, administrators, and managers for the organizational leader questionnaire presented in the
  National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, June 2005, U.S. Department of Labor,
  Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government

    The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to 
be $127,442 to conduct the two one-time questionnaires and to analyze 
and present its results. This amount includes costs for developing the 
data collection tools ($50,976); collecting the data ($25,488); 
analyzing the data and reporting the findings ($44,605); and 
administrative support activities ($6,373).

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, quality improvement and 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: April 8, 2008.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. E8-8060 Filed 4-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M