[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 159 (Friday, August 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56640-56641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17748]


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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: Evidence 
Based Telehealth Network Program Measures, OMB No. 0906-0043--Revision

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 ICR should be received no later than October 
17, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N39, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 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 Joella Roland, the 
HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, at (301) 443-3983.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the ICR title for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Evidence Based Telehealth 
Network Program Measures, OMB No. 0906-0043--Revision.

[[Page 56641]]

    Abstract: This ICR is a revision of currently approved information 
collection of measures for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth 
(OAT)'s Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program, under which OAT 
administers cooperative agreements in accordance with section 330I of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14), as amended. The 
purpose of this program is to fund evidence-based projects that utilize 
telehealth technologies through telehealth networks to expand access 
to, and improve access to and the quality of, health care services. 
This program will work to help HRSA assess the effectiveness of 
evidence-based practices with the use of telehealth for patients, 
providers, and payers.
    In the Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program Report, the 
adjusted data collection instrument includes the addition, removal, and 
revision of measures, with 27 total data elements addressing patient 
encounter information. The currently approved measures focus on 
behavioral health, and the proposed adjusted measures allow for the 
inclusion of broader health care services and expanded outcome 
measures. Five data elements were updated to specify data collection 
that allows for deeper understanding of outcomes related to 
socioeconomic indicators. The estimated burden for the Evidence Based 
Telehealth Network Program Report decreased since the data collection 
frequency is changing from monthly to quarterly. In addition, the 
information collected from grantees in the Performance Improvement and 
Measurement System more closely aligns measures with the Notice of 
Funding Opportunity and will assist in clarifying program measures and 
impact. These adjustments allow OAT to gain a more thorough 
understanding of how to utilize telehealth technologies through 
telehealth to improve access to, and improve the quality of, health 
care services.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: The measures will enable 
HRSA to capture data that illustrate the impact and scope of federal 
funding along with assessing these efforts. The measures cover the 
principal topic areas of interest to OAT, including: (a) population 
demographics; (b) access to health care; (c) cost savings and cost-
effectiveness; and (d) clinical outcomes.
    Likely Respondents: Likely respondents are award recipients of the 
Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program.
    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
         Instrument name             Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
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Evidence-Based Telehealth                     11               4              44              31           1,364
 Network Program Report.........
Telehealth Performance                        11               1              11               5              55
 Measurement Report.............
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    Total.......................            * 11  ..............              55  ..............           1,419
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* HRSA estimates 11 unique respondents, each completing the two forms.

    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.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2023-17748 Filed 8-17-23; 8:45 am]
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