[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17433-17434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07220]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request Information Collection Request Title: Rural 
Health Network Development Planning Performance Improvement and 
Measurement System Database, OMB No. 0915-0384-Extension

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 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 Information Collection Request must be received 
no later than June 12, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N39, 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, in compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    Information Collection Request Title: Rural Health Network 
Development Planning Performance Improvement and Measurement System 
Database.
    OMB No. 0915-0384--Extension.
    Abstract: The purpose of the Rural Health Network Development 
Planning Program (Network Planning) is to assist in the development of 
an integrated health care network, specifically for entities that do 
not have a history of formal collaborative efforts. Health care 
networks can be an effective strategy to help smaller rural health care 
providers and health care service organizations align resources, 
achieve economies of scale and efficiency, and address challenges more 
effectively as a group than as single providers. This program promotes 
the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to: (1) 
achieve efficiencies; (2) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the 
quality of essential health care services; and (3) strengthen the rural 
health care system as a whole.
    The goals of the Network Planning program are centered around 
approaches that will aid providers in better serving their communities 
given the changes taking place in health care, as providers move from 
focusing on the volume of services to focusing on the value of 
services. The Network Planning program brings together key parts of a 
rural health care delivery system, particularly those entities that may 
not have collaborated in the past under a formal relationship, to 
establish and improve local capacity and coordination of care. The 
program supports 1 year of planning with the primary goal of helping 
networks create a foundation for their infrastructure and focusing 
member efforts to address important regional or local community health 
needs.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Performance measures for 
the Network Planning program serve the purpose of quantifying awardee-
level data that conveys the successes and challenges associated with 
the grant award. The approved measures encompass the following 
principal topic areas: network infrastructure, network collaboration, 
sustainability, and network assessment.
    Likely Respondents: The respondents for these measures are Network 
Planning program award recipients.
    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

[[Page 17434]]

maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to 
train personnel and to 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 ICR are 
summarized in the table below. As no revisions are proposed, the burden 
does not change.
    Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:

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                                                     Number of                    Average burden
            Form name                Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
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Rural Health Network Development              21               1              21               1              21
 Planning Program Performance
 Improvement Measurement System.
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    Total.......................              21  ..............              21  ..............              21
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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. 2017-07220 Filed 4-10-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P