[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9362-9363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04766]


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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: HIV 
Quality Measures (HIVQM) Module, OMB No. 0906-0022--Revision

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects, 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 May 13, 
2019.

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 Lisa Wright-
Solomon, 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: HIV Quality Measures (HIVQM) 
Module OMB No. 0906-0022--Revision.
    Abstract: HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funds and 
coordinates with cities, states, and local clinics/community-based 
organizations to deliver efficient and effective HIV care, treatment, 
and support to low-income people living with HIV (PLWH). Nearly two-
thirds of clients (patients) live at or below 100 percent of the 
Federal poverty level and approximately three-quarters of RWHAP clients 
are racial/ethnic minorities. Since 1990, the RWHAP has developed a 
comprehensive system of safety net providers who deliver high quality 
direct health care and support services to over half a million PLWH--
more than 50 percent of all people living with diagnosed HIV in the 
United States.
    All parts of the RWHAP must follow the legislative requirements for 
the establishment of clinical quality management programs to assess 
their HIV services according to the most recent HHS guidelines and to 
develop strategies to improve access to quality HIV services. The HIVQM 
Module supports recipients and subrecipients in their clinical quality 
management, performance measurement, service delivery, and monitoring 
of client health outcomes; and supports the requirement imposed by the 
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 
Requirements that recipients relate performance accomplishments of 
their Federal awards. 45 CFR 75.301. The module is accessible via the 
Ryan White Services Report, an existing online portal that RWHAP 
recipients already use for required data collection of their services. 
While the use of the module is voluntary for RWHAP recipients, its use 
is strongly encouraged.
    The HRSA performance measures are comprised of the following 
categories: (1) Core, (2) all ages, (3) adolescent/adult, (4) HIV-
infected children, (5) HIV-exposed children, (6) medical case 
management, (7) oral health, (8) AIDS drug assistance program, and (9) 
systems level performance measures. Recipients can choose the 
performance measures they want to monitor and may enter data on their 
measures into the module up to 4 times a year and then generate reports 
to assess their performance. Recipients may also compare their 
performance against other recipients regionally and nationally.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: The HIVQM Module provides 
recipients an easy-to-use and

[[Page 9363]]

structured platform to voluntarily and continually monitor their 
performance. The main purpose for the module is to help recipients set 
goals and monitor performance measures and quality improvement 
projects. For recipients and sub-recipients participating in the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Incentive Programs, such as the 
Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program and the Merit-based 
Incentive Payment System, the module is to qualify them for incentives 
and comply with the requirements to receive incentives from these 
programs.
    For this revised information collection request, HRSA is proposing 
to allow recipients the option to enter data for specific populations 
for a subset of performance measures based on age, gender, race/
ethnicity, and specific risk factors. In addition, recipients will be 
able to generate reports of performance measures, review them 
stratified by the recipients or their service providers, and compare to 
results at the state, regional, and national levels. HRSA is proposing 
these enhancements to increase the functionality and overall usability 
of the HIVQM Module.
    Likely Respondents: HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A, Part 
B, Part C, and Part D recipients and their service providers and the 
AIDS Drug Assistance Program 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 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.

                                     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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HIVQM Report....................           2,316               4           9,264               1           9,264
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    Total.......................           2,316  ..............           9,264  ..............           9,264
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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.

John R. Womack,
Acting Deputy Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2019-04766 Filed 3-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P