[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 77 (Monday, April 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21353-21354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8444]


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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, HHS.

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) approve the proposed information collection 
project: ``Improving Quality through Health IT: Testing the Feasibility 
and Assessing the Impact of Using Existing Health IT Infrastructure for 
Better Care Delivery.'' 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.
    This proposed information collection was previously published in 
the Federal Register on February 15th, 2008 and allowed 60 days for 
public comment. No 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 May 21, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: AHRQs OMB Desk 
Officer by fax at (202) 395-6974 (attention: AHRQ's desk officer) or by 
e-mail at [email protected] (attention: AHRQ's desk 
officer).
    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

    ``Improving Quality through Health IT: Testing the Feasibility and 
Assessing the Impact of Using Existing Health IT Infrastructure for 
Better Care Delivery.''
    AHRQ proposes to assess how the use of health information 
technology (IT) can improve care delivery and outcomes in community 
health centers. AHRQ is specifically interested in improving the 
quality of care provided in a community clinic setting through better 
management of laboratory information. The study will measure the impact 
of health IT tools on two problems: duplicate laboratory tests and the 
failure to follow up on laboratory test results of HIV patients and 
women screened for cervical cancer. In addition, AHRQ will measure the 
impact of health IT on compliance with evidence-based guidelines for 
laboratory tests. The study will also investigate whether disparities 
between vulnerable populations and the general population exist in both 
laboratory screening rates and rates of abnormal laboratory test 
results without follow up. To assess the extent of these problems and 
the impact of health IT, AHRQ will evaluate both quantitative and 
qualitative components. The qualitative component will use interviews 
with key informants in two community health centers to gather data on 
laboratory information processes, laboratory information communication 
problems and use of health IT tools.

Method of Collection

    Quantitative data will be collected directly from the clinical data 
warehouse used by the participating community health centers to 
routinely collect laboratory data. The collection will be accomplished 
using database reports. Qualitative data will be collected through key 
informant interviews conducted in each of the two participating 
community health centers. Key informants will include physicians, 
nurses, medical assistants, IT personnel, and administrators. The total 
number of interviews to be conducted at both sites is forty-one.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours. A total of 
forty-one in-person interviews will be conducted with administrative 
and

[[Page 21354]]

clinical personnel: Eighteen interviews from administrative personnel 
and twenty-three interviews from clinical personnel. The question set 
is the same for both clinical and administrative personnel. The 
estimated time per response is 1.5 hours for a total of 61.5 burden 
hours.
    Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden for the 
respondents' time to provide the requested data. The hourly rate of 
$32.13 is a weighted average of the administrative personnel hourly 
wage of $19.68 and the clinical personnel hourly wage of $41.88. The 
total cost burden is $1,976.

                                  Exhibit 1.--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of
                 Data collection                     Number of     responses per     Hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In-person interviews............................              41               1             1.5            61.5
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................              41              na              na            61.5
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                                  Exhibit 2.--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
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                                                                                      Average
                 Data collection                     Number of     Total burden     hourly wage     Total cost
                                                    respondents        hours           rate*          burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In-person interviews............................              41            61.5          $32.13          $1,976
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................              41              na              na          1,976
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* Based upon the actual site personnel wages. Clinical personnel averages are weighted by the number of
  physicians, nurses and medical assistants in the sample. Administrative personnel averages are weighted by the
  number of administrators, lab, IT and other support personnel. Total average is weighted by relative number of
  administrative and clinical personnel being interviewed.

Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government

    The total cost to the Federal Government for this project is 
$393,457 over a two-year period. The average annual cost is $196,728. 
The following is a breakdown of average annual costs:

Direct Costs

Personnel--$108,320
Consultancies--$24,400
Data support--$5,000
Travel--$2,575
Supplies--$100
IRB review--$125

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs (40%)--$56,208

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's 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: April 11, 2008.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
 [FR Doc. E8-8444 Filed 4-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M