[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95621-95622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31253]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request; Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement 
Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), HRSA announces plans to submit an 
Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA 
seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or 
any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this ICR must be received no later than February 27, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N-39, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information request collection title 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Small Health Care Provider 
Quality Improvement Program

OMB No. 0915-0387--Extension

    Abstract: This program is authorized by Title III, Public Health 
Service Act, Section 330A(g) (42 U.S.C. 254c(g)), as amended by Section 
201, P.L. 107-251, and Section 4, P.L. 110-355. This authority directs 
the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) to support grants 
that expand access to, coordinate, contain the cost of, and improve the 
quality of essential health care services, including preventive and 
emergency services, through the development of health care networks in 
rural and frontier areas and regions. Across these various programs, 
the authority allows HRSA to provide funds to rural and

[[Page 95622]]

frontier communities to support the direct delivery of health care and 
related services, expand existing services, or enhance health service 
delivery through education, promotion, and prevention programs.
    The purpose of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement 
Grant (Rural Quality) Program is to provide support to rural primary 
care providers for implementation of quality improvement activities. 
The goal of the program is to promote the development of an evidence-
based culture and delivery of coordinated care in the primary care 
setting. Additional objectives of the program include improved health 
outcomes for patients, enhanced chronic disease management, and better 
engagement of patients and their caregivers. Organizations 
participating in the program are required to use an evidence-based 
quality improvement model, perform tests of change focused on 
improvement, and use health information technology (HIT) to collect and 
report data. HIT may include an electronic patient registry or an 
electronic health record, and is a critical component for improving 
quality and patient outcomes. With HIT it is possible to generate 
timely and meaningful data, which helps providers track and plan care.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: FORHP collects this 
information to quantify the impact of grant funding on access to health 
care, quality of services, and improvement of health outcomes. FORHP 
uses the data for program improvement and grantees use the data for 
performance tracking. No changes are proposed from the current data 
collection effort.
    Likely Respondents: Grantees of the Small Health Care Provider 
Quality Improvement Program.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and be able to respond to a 
collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                     Number of       Number of         Total        burden per     Total  Burden
            Form Name               respondents    responses per     responses     response  (in       Hours
                                                    respondent                        hours)
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Name of instrument..............              32               1              32               8             256
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    Total.......................              32  ..............              32  ..............             256
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    HRSA specifically requests comments on (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.

Jason E. Bennett,
Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2016-31253 Filed 12-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P