[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39947-39948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17050]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-10-0234]


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 project or to obtain a copy 
of data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on 404-639-5960 or send comments to CDC Assistant 
Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-74, 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 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

    National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), (OMB No. 0920-0234 
exp. 7/31/2012)--Revision--National Center for Health Statistics 
(NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Section 306 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 
242k), as amended, authorizes that the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), acting through NCHS, shall collect statistics on the 
utilization of health care provided by nonfederal office-based 
physicians in the United States.
    On February 26, 2010, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approved data collection for three years. This revision is to notify 
the public that the President's fiscal year 2011 budget requests that 
Congress consider a budget increase for this survey for 2011. If the 
budget increase is approved by Congress, expanded data collection will 
begin in the first calendar quarter of 2011 or as soon thereafter as is 
possible. An increased sample size of approximately 6,800 physicians 
and 60,000 visit records (a doubling from 3,400 physicians and 30,000 
visit records sampled in 2010) is requested. Currently the NAMCS 
produces national and regional estimates. If the full budget increase 
is approved by Congress, the survey will be able to produce the same 
estimates as it does currently as well as data on a limited number of 
states when data are combined across two years. This increase will 
greatly improve the ability to track providers' practice patterns, 
including their adoption and meaningful use of health information 
technology (HIT).
    Congress may approve all, some or none of the budget increase 
requested in the President's budget. If approved, this notice would 
allow the proposed request for a sample increase to move forward to OMB 
for final review in sufficient time to implement the sample increase in 
the first quarter of 2011. This notice also covers increases in sample 
size that might result due to other budget allocations.
    NAMCS was conducted annually from 1973 to 1981, again in 1985, and 
resumed as an annual survey in 1989. The purpose of NAMCS, a voluntary 
survey, is to meet the needs and demands for statistical information 
about the provision of ambulatory medical care services in the United 
States. Ambulatory services are rendered in a wide variety of settings, 
including physicians' offices and hospital outpatient and emergency 
departments. The NAMCS target universe consists of all office visits 
made by ambulatory patients to non-Federal office-based physicians 
(excluding those in the specialties of anesthesiology, radiology, and 
pathology) who are engaged in direct patient care. In 2006, physicians 
and mid-level providers (i.e., nurse practitioners, physician 
assistants, and nurse midwives) practicing in community health centers 
(CHCs) were added to the NAMCS sample, and these data will continue to 
be collected. To complement NAMCS data, NCHS initiated the National 
Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS, OMB No. 0920-0278) in 
1992 to provide data concerning patient visits to hospital outpatient 
and emergency departments. NAMCS and NHAMCS are the principal sources 
of data on ambulatory care provided in the United States. A three-year 
clearance is requested.
    There is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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                                                                     Number of      Avg. burden
                      Form                           Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs)          hours
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Induction Interview-Physicians/CHC Providers....           7,112               1           28/60           3,319
Patient Record Form.............................           2,797              30            8/60          11,188
EMR Mail Survey.................................          10,302               1           20/60           3,434
CHC Induction Interview-Facility................             208               1           20/60              69
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[[Page 39948]]

 
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          18,010
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    Dated: July 7, 2010.
Carol Walker,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2010-17050 Filed 7-12-10; 8:45 am]
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