[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 75 (Friday, April 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21440-21441]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08166]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30 Day-20-0278]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled, National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care 
Survey (NHAMCS) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection 
Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on January 
28, 2020 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC 
did not receive comments related to the previous notice. This notice 
serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency 
comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses; and
    (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct 
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in 
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice 
publication.

Proposed Project

    National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) (OMB 
Control No. 0920-0278, Exp. 06/30/2021)--Revision--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 that the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), acting through NCHS, shall collect statistics on 
``utilization of health care'' in the United States. The National 
Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) has been conducted 
annually since 1992. NCHS is seeking OMB approval to extend this survey 
for an additional three years.
    The target universe of the NHAMCS is in-person visits made to 
emergency departments (EDs) of non-Federal, short-stay hospitals 
(hospitals with an average length of stay of less than 30 days) that 
have at least 6 beds for inpatient use, and with a specialty of general 
(medical or surgical) or children's general. NHAMCS was initiated to 
complement the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS, OMB No. 
0920-0234, Exp. Date 05/31/2022), which provides similar data 
concerning patient visits to physicians' offices. NAMCS and NHAMCS are 
the principal sources of data on ambulatory care provided in the United 
States.

[[Page 21441]]

    NHAMCS provides a range of baseline data on the characteristics of 
the users and providers of hospital ambulatory medical care. Data 
collected include patients' demographic characteristics, reason(s) for 
visit, providers' diagnoses, diagnostic services, medications, and 
disposition. These data, together with trend data, may be used to 
monitor the effects of change in the health care system, for the 
planning of health services, improving medical education, determining 
health care work force needs, and assessing the health status of the 
population.
    Starting 2018, NHAMCS was modified to assess only hospital 
emergency departments. The survey components that assessed hospital 
outpatient departments and ambulatory surgery locations were 
discontinued. Users of NHAMCS data include, but are not limited to, 
congressional offices, Federal agencies, state and local governments, 
schools of public health, colleges and universities, private industry, 
nonprofit foundations, professional associations, clinicians, 
researchers, administrators, and health planners.
    The burden is to complete the 2020 data collection which is 
currently underway and collect data over the following three years 
(2021-2023) without change to the current survey activities. However, 
starting with 2021 data collection, the Assurance of Confidentiality 
statement will be updated to the new citation for the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) 
language. There are no costs to the respondents other than their time. 
The total estimated annualized burden hours are 1,500. The adjusted 
increase of 712 burden hours is due to the new method of calculating 
burden to include all sampled hospitals.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
          Type of respondent                    Form name           respondents    responses per   response (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospital Chief Executive Officer......  Hospital Induction Data              547               1           30/60
                                         Collection.
Ancillary Service Executive...........  Ambulatory Unit                    1,093               1           15/60
                                         Induction Data
                                         Collection.
Medical Record Clerk..................  Retrieving Patient                   547             100            1/60
                                         Records.
Ancillary Service Executive...........  Telephone Reinterview...             167               1           15/60
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-08166 Filed 4-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P