[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24435-24437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09767]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-14-14VS]


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 404-639-7570 or 
send comments to Leroy Richardson, at 1600 Clifton Road, MS D74, 
Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email 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

    Developmental Studies to improve the National Health Care Surveys--
New--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 the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), acting through the Division of Health Care Statistics 
(DHCS) within NCHS, shall collect statistics on the extent and nature 
of illness and disability of the population of the United States.
    The DHCS conducts the National Health Care Surveys, a family of 
nationally representative surveys of encounters and health care 
providers in inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings. This 
information collection request (ICR) is for a new generic to conduct 
developmental studies to improve this family of surveys. This three 
year clearance period will include studies to evaluate and improve upon 
existing survey design and operations, as well as to examine the 
feasibility of, and address challenges that may arise with, future 
expansions of the National Health Care Surveys.
    Specifically, this request covers developmental research with the 
following aims: (1) To explore ways to refine and improve upon existing 
survey designs and procedures; and (2) to explore and evaluate proposed 
survey designs and alternative approaches to data collection. The goal 
of these research studies is to further enhance DHCS existing and 
future data collection protocols to increase research capacity and 
improve health care data quality for the purpose of monitoring public 
health and well-being at the

[[Page 24436]]

national, state and local levels, thereby informing health policy 
decision-making process. The information collected through this generic 
ICR will not be used to make generalizable statements about the 
population of interest or to inform public policy; however, 
methodological findings may be reported.
    This generic ICR would include studies conducted in person, via the 
telephone or internet, and by postal or electronic mail. Methods 
covered would include qualitative (e.g., usability testing, focus 
groups, ethnographic studies, and respondent debriefing questionnaires) 
and/or quantitative (e.g., pilot tests, pre-tests and split sample 
experiments) research methodologies. Examples of studies to improve 
existing survey designs and procedures may include evaluation of 
incentive approaches to improve recruitment and increase participation 
rates; testing of new survey items to obtain additional data on 
providers, patients, and their encounters while minimizing 
misinterpretation and human error in data collection; testing data 
collection in panel surveys; triangulating and validating survey 
responses from multiple data sources; assessment of the feasibility of 
data retrieval; and development of protocols that will locate, 
identify, and collect accurate survey data in the least labor-intensive 
and burdensome manner at the sampled practice site.
    To explore and evaluate proposed survey designs and alternative 
approaches to collecting data, especially with the nationwide adoption 
of electronic health records, studies may expand the evaluation of data 
extraction of electronic health records and submission via continuity 
of care documentation to small/mid-size/large medical providers and 
hospital networks, managed care health plans, prison-hospitals, and 
other inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings that are 
currently either in-scope or out-of-scope of the National Health Care 
Surveys. Research on feasibility, data quality and respondent burden 
also may be carried out in the context of developing new surveys of 
health care providers and establishments that are currently out-of-
scope of the National Health Care Surveys.
    Specific motivations for conducting developmental studies include: 
(1) Within the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), new 
clinical groups may be expanded to include dentists, psychologists, 
podiatrists, chiropractors, optometrists), mid-level providers (e.g., 
physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners, 
certified nurse midwives) and allied-health professionals (e.g., 
certified nursing aides, medical assistants, radiology technicians, 
laboratory technicians, pharmacists, dieticians/nutritionists). Current 
sampling frames such as those from the American Medical Association may 
be obtained and studied, as well as frames that are not currently in 
use by NAMCS, such as state and organizational listings of other 
licensed providers. (2) Within the National Study of Long-Term Care 
Providers, additional new frames may be sought and evaluated and data 
items from home care agencies, long-term care hospitals, and facilities 
exclusively serving individuals with intellectual/developmental 
disability may be tested. Similarly, data may be obtained from lists 
compiled by states and other organizations. Data about the facilities 
as well as residents and their visits will be investigated. (3) In the 
inpatient and outpatient care settings, the National Hospital Care 
Survey (NHCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 
(NHAMCS) may investigate the addition of facility and patient 
information especially as it relates to insurance and electronic 
medical records.
    The National Health Care Surveys collect critical, accurate data 
that are used to produce reliable national estimates--and in recent 
years, state-level estimates--of clinical services and of the providers 
who delivered those services in inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, and 
long-term care settings. The data from these surveys are used by 
providers, policy makers and researchers to address important topics of 
interest, including the quality and disparities of care among 
populations, epidemiology of medical conditions, diffusion of 
technologies, effects of policies and practice guidelines, and changes 
in health care over time. Research studies need to be conducted to 
improve existing and proposed survey design and procedures of the 
National Health Care Surveys, as well as to evaluate alternative data 
collection approaches particularly due to the expansion of electronic 
health record use, and to develop new sample frames of currently out-
of-scope providers and settings of care. There is no cost to 
respondents other than their time to participate. Average burdens are 
designed to cover 15-40 minute interviews as well as 90-minute focus 
groups, longer on-site visits, and situations where organizations may 
be preparing electronic data files.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                    Number of    Average  burden
     Type of respondents           Form name        Number of     responses per    per response    Total burden
                                                   respondents     respondent       (in hours)      (in hours)
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Health Care Providers and      Interviews,               18,000               1              1            18,000
 Business entities.             surveys, focus
                                groups,
                                experiments (in
                                person, phone,
                                internet,
                                postal/
                                electronic
                                mail).
Health Care Providers, State/  Interviews,                  500               1              2.5           1,250
 local government agencies,     surveys, focus
 and business entities.         groups,
                                experiments (in
                                person, phone,
                                internet,
                                postal/
                                electronic
                                mail).
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    Total....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ...............          19,250
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[[Page 24437]]

Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2014-09767 Filed 4-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P