[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 37047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15032]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-New; 60-day Notice]


Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), 
Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following 
summary of a proposed information collection request for public 
comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this 
burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, 
including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility 
of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of 
the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology to minimize the information 
collection burden.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, email your 
request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and OS 
document identifier, to [email protected], or call the 
Reports Clearance Office on (202) 690-6162. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be 
directed to the OS Paperwork Clearance Officer at the above email 
address within 60 days.
    Proposed Project: National Survey on Health Information Exchange in 
Clinical Laboratories OMB No. 0090-NEW--Office of the National 
Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
    Abstract: Currently, the Office of the National Coordinator for 
Health Information Technology (ONC) is soliciting comments on a new 
information collection activity that will collect key data from a 
relatively small sample of clinical laboratories nationwide for the 
Evaluation of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative 
Agreement Program. A key goal of the State Health Information Exchange 
Cooperative Agreement Program is to promote the electronic exchange of 
structured test results from clinical laboratories to healthcare 
providers. To assess progress over time at both the national and state 
level, information is needed regarding the baseline capacity for 
clinical laboratory information exchange.
    The National Survey on Health Information Exchange in Clinical 
Laboratories will assess and evaluate the electronic transfer of health 
information from clinical laboratories to ordering physicians. It will 
focus on two key measures: (1) Percentage of laboratory facilities that 
are able to send structured lab results electronically to ordering 
physicians and (2) Percentage of lab results that are currently begin 
sent electronically in coded format to ordering physicians.
    The anticipated bi-annual data collection effort will be conducted 
in two waves--Wave I in November of 2012 will establish the baseline 
and Wave II in 2014 will measure progress. Information will be 
collected using a mail-out/mail-back hard copy questionnaire with 
telephone non-response follow up. There will be two similar versions of 
the questionnaire--one for hospital-based labs and one for independent 
labs. For hospitals, the burden hours are based on an estimated length 
of approximately 20 minutes per completed survey. ONC will use these 
survey findings to develop a comprehensive understanding of the 
baseline level of laboratory information exchange in order to inform 
program activities to promote laboratory information exchange and 
provide more targeted assistance to states and territories in 
developing their laboratory information exchange strategies.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                     Type of         Number of       Number of      burden  (in    Total burden
             Forms                 respondent       respondents    responses per    hours)  per        hours
                                                                    respondent       response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospital-Based Laboratory       Hospital-Based             2,882               1           20/60             961
 Survey on Health Information    Laboratories.
 Exchange.
Independent Laboratory Survey   Independent                2,081               1        17.57/60             609
 on Health Information           Laboratories.
 Exchange.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................           4,963               1        18.98/60           1,570
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Keith A. Tucker,
Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction Act Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-15032 Filed 6-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-36-P