[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51335-51336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20420]


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

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: ``Voluntary Customer Survey Generic Clearance for the Agency 
for Healthcare Research and Quality.'' In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, AHRQ invites the public to comment 
on this proposed information collection.
    This proposed information collection was previously published in 
the Federal Register on May 29th 2014 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 September 29, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email 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 email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

Voluntary Customer Survey Generic Clearance for the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality

    This is a request for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to 
re-approve for an additional 3 years, under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, the generic clearance for the Agency for Healthcare Research 
and Quality (AHRQ) to survey the users of AHRQ's work products and 
services, OMB control number 0935-0106. The current clearance was 
approved on July 20th, 2011 and will expire on July 31st, 2014.
    Customer surveys will be undertaken by AHRQ to assess its work 
products and services provided to its customers, to identify problem 
areas, and to determine how they can be improved. Surveys conducted 
under this generic clearance are not required by regulation and will 
not be used by AHRQ to regulate or sanction its customers. Surveys will 
be entirely voluntary, and information provided by respondents will be 
combined and summarized so that no individually identifiable 
information will be released. Proposed information collections 
submitted under this generic clearance will be reviewed and acted upon 
by OMB within 14 days of submission to OMB.

Method of Collection

    The information collected through focus groups and voluntary 
customer surveys will be used by AHRQ to identify strengths and 
weaknesses in products and services to make improvements that are 
practical and feasible. Information from these customer surveys will be 
used to plan

[[Page 51336]]

and redirect resources and efforts to improve or maintain a high 
quality of service to the lay and health professional public.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    Exhibit 1 shows the estimated total burden hours for the 
respondents. Mail surveys are estimated to average 15 minutes, 
telephone surveys 40 minutes, web-based surveys 10 minutes, focus 
groups two hours, and in-person interviews are estimated to average 50 
minutes. Mail surveys may also be sent to respondents via email, and 
may include a telephone non-response follow-up. Telephone non-response 
follow-up for mailed surveys does not count as a telephone survey. The 
total burden hours for the 3 years of the clearance is estimated to be 
10,150 hours.
    Exhibit 2 shows the estimated cost burden for the respondents. The 
total cost burden for the 3 years of the clearance is estimated to be 
$340,127.

                                 Exhibit 1--Estimated Burden Hours Over 3 Years
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Number of
   Type of information collection         Number of        responses per        Hours per         Total burden
                                         respondents         respondent          response            hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail/email *........................             15,000                  1              15/60              3,750
Telephone...........................                600                  1              40/60                400
Web-based...........................             15,000                  1              10/60              2,500
Focus Groups........................              1,500                  1                2.0              3,000
In-person...........................                600                  1              50/60                500
                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...........................             32,700                 na                 na             10,150
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* May include telephone non-response follow-up in which case the burden will not change.


                                  Exhibit 2--Estimated Cost Burden Over 3 Years
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Number of         Total burden      Average hourly
   Type of information collection        respondents           hours           wage rate *     Total cost burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail/email..........................             15,000              3,750             $33.51           $125,663
Telephone...........................                600                400              33.51             13,404
Web-based...........................             15,000              2,500              33.51             83,775
Focus Groups........................              1,500              3,000              33.51            100,530
In-person...........................                600                500              33.51             16,755
                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...........................             32,700             10,150                 na            340,127
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Based upon the average wages for 29-000 (Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations), ``National
  Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2009.'' U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
  Labor Statistics.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 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 healthcare research and 
healthcare 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: August 20, 2014.
Richard Kronick,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-20420 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M