[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43039-43041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15373]


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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.

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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) re-approve the proposed information 
collection project ``Online Submission Form for Supplemental Evidence 
and Data for Systematic Reviews for the Evidence-based Practice Center 
Program.''

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

``Online Submission Form for Supplemental Evidence and Data for 
Systematic Reviews for the Evidence-based Practice Center Program''

    This is an ongoing activity of AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice 
Center (EPC) Program.
    AHRQ's EPC Program develops evidence reports and technology 
assessments on topics relevant to clinical and other health care 
organization and delivery issues--specifically those that are common, 
expensive, and/or significant for the Medicare and Medicaid 
populations. For example, recent reviews have focused on clinical 
conditions, such as ``Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases''; health 
delivery topics, such as ``Transitions of Care From Pediatric to Adult 
Services for Children With Special Healthcare Needs''; and specific 
technologies, such as ``Telehealth for Women's Preventive Services.'' 
These evidence reports include systematic reviews, technical briefs, 
and rapid reviews; and provide an essential foundation from which to

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understand what we know from existing research and what critical 
research gaps remain. These reports, reviews, and technology 
assessments are based on rigorous, comprehensive syntheses and analyses 
of the scientific literature on topics. EPC reports and assessments 
emphasize explicit and detailed documentation of methods, rationale, 
and assumptions. EPC reports are conducted in accordance with an 
established policy on financial and nonfinancial interests. These 
scientific syntheses may include meta-analyses and cost analyses.
    The EPC Program supports AHRQ's mission by synthesizing and 
disseminating the available research as a ``science partner'' with 
private and public organizations in their efforts to improve the 
quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health care. The EPC 
Program is a trusted source of rigorous, comprehensive, and unbiased 
evidence reviews for stakeholders. The resulting evidence reports and 
technology assessments are used by Federal and State agencies, private-
sector professional societies, health delivery systems, providers, 
payers, and others committed to evidence-based health care. These end-
users may use EPC Program evidence reports to inform policy decisions, 
clinical practice guidelines, and other healthcare decisions.
    This research has the following goals:
    [cir] Use research methods to gather knowledge on the effectiveness 
and harms of certain treatments and healthcare delivery processes and 
models for medical conditions, both published and unpublished, to 
evaluate the quality of research studies and the evidence from these 
studies.
    [cir] Promote the use of evidence in healthcare decision making to 
improve healthcare and health.
    [cir] Identify research gaps to inform future research investments.
    This study is being conducted by AHRQ pursuant to its statutory 
authority to conduct and support research on healthcare and on systems 
for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the 
quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness and value of 
healthcare services and with respect to quality measurement and 
improvement. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1) and (2).

Method of Collection

    To achieve the goals of this project the following data collection 
will be implemented:
     Online Submission Form. This information is collected for 
the purposes of providing supplemental evidence and data for systematic 
reviews (SEADS). The online submission form (OSF) collects data from 
respondents on their name, organization name, description of the 
submission, medical condition, intervention, and email address. For the 
purposes of meta-analyses, trial summary data from missing and 
unidentified studies are sought. For the purposes of constructing 
evidence tables and quality ratings (e.g., on public reporting of cost 
measures or health information exchange), data can vary (e.g., URLs, 
study designs, and consumer-mediated exchange forms). Information on 
both completed and ongoing studies is requested. Submitters may 
alternatively email their submission to the AHRQ EPC mailbox at 
[email protected].
    The EPC Program currently uses a broad-based announcement via email 
listserv and a Federal Register notice, as needed, to publicize the 
opportunity to submit scientific information about each topic. AHRQ 
plans to conduct one SEADS collection per topic. Up to twenty-four 
topics per year with SEADS portals are anticipated; over the past 5 
years the number of SEADS portals has ranged from 11-20, with an 
average range of 0-5 potential respondents per topic. The EPC Program 
does not anticipate more than 40 topics per year with SEADS portals.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    Exhibit 1 presents estimates of the reporting burden hours for the 
data collection efforts. Time estimates are based on pilot testing of 
materials and what can reasonably be requested of respondents. The 
number of respondents listed in ``Number of respondents'' of Exhibit 1 
reflects a projected upper range response rate per SEADS portal 
multiplied by the anticipated upper limit of number of SEADS portals 
per year, based on historical information over the past 3 years.

                                  Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of                     Total burden
                    Form name                        Number of     responses per     Hours per       hours per
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          SEADS
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Online Submission Form (OSF)....................             200               1           15/60              50
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             200               1           15/60              50
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                                   Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
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                                                     Number of     Total burden   Average hourly    Total cost
                    Form name                       respondents        hours        wage rate *       burden
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OSF.............................................             200              50      \a\ $57.62          $2,881
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             200              50           57.62           2.881
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* Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United
  States, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#b29-0000 0000.
\a\ Based on the mean wages for Public Relations and Fundraising Managers, 11-2030, the occupational group most
  likely tasked with completing the OSF.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520, 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's health 
care research and health care information dissemination functions, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;

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(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: July 14, 2022.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-15373 Filed 7-18-22; 8:45 am]
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