[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77836-77838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27504]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-23-1030]


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 ``Developmental Studies to Improve the 
National Health Care Surveys'' 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 September 30, 2022 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

    Developmental Studies to Improve the National Health Care Surveys 
(OMB Control No. 0920-1030, Exp. 06/30/2023)--Extension--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 the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), acting through the Division of Health Care Statistics 
(DHCS) within NCHS, shall collect statistics on the extent and nature 
of illness and disability of the population of the United States.
    The DHCS conducts the National Health Care Surveys (NHCS), a family 
of nationally representative surveys of encounters and health care 
providers in inpatient, ambulatory, and long-term care settings. This 
information collection request (ICR) is for the extension of a generic 
clearance to conduct developmental studies to improve this family of 
surveys. This three-year clearance period will include studies to 
evaluate and improve upon existing survey design and operations, as 
well as to examine the feasibility of, and address challenges that may 
arise with, future expansions of the National Health Care Surveys.
    Specifically, this request covers developmental research with the

[[Page 77837]]

following aims: (1) to explore ways to refine and improve upon existing 
survey designs and procedures; and (2) to explore and evaluate proposed 
survey designs and alternative approaches to data collection. The goal 
of these research studies is to further enhance DHCS existing and 
future data collection protocols to increase research capacity and 
improve health care data quality for the purpose of monitoring public 
health and well-being at the national, state and local levels, thereby 
informing the health policy decision-making process. The information 
collected through this Generic ICR will not be used to make 
generalizable statements about the population of interest or to inform 
public policy; however, methodological findings may be reported.
    This Generic ICR would include studies conducted in person, via the 
telephone or internet, and by postal or electronic mail. Methods 
covered would include qualitative (e.g., usability testing, focus 
groups, ethnographic studies, and respondent debriefing questionnaires) 
and/or quantitative (e.g., pilot tests, pre-tests and split sample 
experiments) research methodologies. Examples of studies to improve 
existing survey designs and procedures may include evaluation of 
incentive approaches to improve recruitment and increase participation 
rates; testing of new survey items to obtain additional data on 
providers, patients, and their encounters while minimizing 
misinterpretation and human error in data collection; testing data 
collection in panel surveys; triangulating and validating survey 
responses from multiple data sources; assessment of the feasibility of 
data retrieval; and development of protocols that will locate, 
identify, and collect accurate survey data in the least labor-intensive 
and burdensome manner at the sampled practice site.
    To explore and evaluate proposed survey designs and alternative 
approaches to collecting data, especially with the nationwide adoption 
of electronic health records, studies may expand the evaluation of data 
extraction of electronic health records and submission via continuity 
of care documentation to small/mid-size/large medical providers and 
hospital networks, managed care health plans, prison-hospitals, and 
other inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings that are 
currently either in-scope or out-of-scope of the National Health Care 
Surveys. Research on feasibility, data quality and respondent burden 
also may be carried out in the context of developing new surveys of 
health care providers and establishments that are currently out-of-
scope of the National Health Care Surveys.
    Specific motivations for conducting developmental studies include: 
(1) within the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), new 
clinical groups may be expanded to include dentists, psychologists, 
podiatrists, chiropractors, optometrists), mid-level providers (e.g., 
physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners, 
certified nurse midwives) and allied-health professionals (e.g., 
certified nursing aides, medical assistants, radiology technicians, 
laboratory technicians, pharmacists, dieticians/nutritionists). Current 
sampling frames such as those from the American Medical Association may 
be obtained and studied, as well as frames that are not currently in 
use by NAMCS, such as state and organizational listings of other 
licensed providers; (2) within the National Study of Long-Term Care 
Providers, additional new frames may be sought and evaluated and data 
items from home care agencies, long-term care hospitals, and facilities 
exclusively serving individuals with intellectual/developmental 
disability may be tested. Similarly, data may be obtained from lists 
compiled by states and other organizations. Data about the facilities 
as well as residents and their visits will be investigated; and (3) in 
the inpatient and outpatient care settings, the National Hospital Care 
Survey (NHCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 
(NHAMCS) may investigate the addition of facility and patient 
information especially as it relates to insurance and electronic 
medical records.
    Projects under development or in the planning stages include two 
projects related to opioid use: one that will investigate adding 
questions to NAMCS on physician understanding of guidelines for opioid 
use and one that will test the validation of an algorithm for 
identifying opioid-involved hospital visits. Another study will develop 
a Hospital-Based Victim Services Frame.
    The NHCSs collect critical, accurate data that are used to produce 
reliable national estimates--and in recent years (when budget allows), 
state-level estimates--of clinical services and of the providers who 
delivered those services in inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, and 
long-term care settings. The data from these surveys are used by 
providers, policy makers and researchers to address important topics of 
interest, including the quality and disparities of care among 
populations, epidemiology of medical conditions, diffusion of 
technologies, effects of policies and practice guidelines, and changes 
in health care over time. Research studies need to be conducted to 
improve existing and proposed survey design and procedures of the 
NHCSs, as well as to evaluate alternative data collection approaches 
particularly due to the expansion of electronic health record use, and 
to develop new sample frames of currently out-of-scope providers and 
settings of care.
    Average burdens are designed to cover 15-40 min interviews as well 
as 90-minute focus groups, as well as longer on-site visits, and 
situations where organizations may be preparing electronic data files. 
CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 3,000 annual burden hours. 
There is no cost to respondents other than their time to participate.

                                   Table 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
        Type of respondents                   Form name             respondents    responses per   response (in
                                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Care Providers and..........  Interviews, surveys, focus            2,582               1               1
Business entities..................   groups, experiments (in
                                      person, phone, internet,
                                      postal/electronic mail).
Health Care Providers,State/local    Interviews, surveys, focus              167               1             2.5
 government agencies, and business    groups, experiments (in
 entities.                            person, phone, internet,
                                      postal/electronic mail).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 77838]]

Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2022-27504 Filed 12-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P