[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2960-2961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00818]


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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: Rural 
Health Care Coordination Program Performance Improvement Measures, OMB 
No. 0906-0024--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 March 18, 
2024.

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: Rural Health Care 
Coordination Program Performance Improvement Measures, OMB No. 0906-
0024--Revision
    Abstract: The Rural Health Care Coordination (Care Coordination) 
Program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 254c(e) (Section 330A(e) of the 
Public Health Service Act) to promote rural health care services 
outreach by improving and expanding delivery of health care services 
through comprehensive care coordination strategies addressing a primary 
focus area: (1) heart disease, (2) cancer, (3) chronic lower 
respiratory disease, (4) stroke, or (5) maternal health. This authority 
permits the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to award grants to

[[Page 2961]]

eligible entities to promote rural health care services outreach by 
improving and expanding the delivery of health care services to include 
new and enhanced services in rural areas, through community engagement 
and evidence-based or innovative, evidence-informed models. HRSA 
currently collects information about Care Coordination Program grants 
using an OMB-approved set of performance measures and seeks to revise 
that approved collection. The proposed changes to the information 
collection are a result of award recipient feedback and information 
gathered from the previously approved Care Coordination Program 
measures.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: This program needs 
measures that will enable HRSA to provide aggregate program data 
required by Congress under the Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993. These measures cover the principal topic areas of interest to 
HRSA, including: (1) access to care, (2) population demographics and 
social determinants of health, (3) care coordination and network 
infrastructure, (4) sustainability, (5) leadership and workforce, (6) 
electronic health record, (7) telehealth, (8) utilization, and (9) 
clinical measures/improved outcomes. All measures will evaluate HRSA's 
progress toward achieving its goals.
    The proposed changes include additional components under ``Access 
to Care'' and ``Population Demographic'' sections that seek information 
about target population, counties served, direct services, and social 
determinants of health such as transportation barriers, housing, and 
food insecurity. Questions about Health Information Technology and 
Telehealth have been modified to reflect an updated telehealth 
definition and to improve understanding of how these important 
technologies are affecting HRSA award recipients. Sections previously 
titled ``Care Coordination'' and ``Quality Improvement'' were 
consolidated into one section titled ``Care Coordination and Network 
Infrastructure'' to improve clarity and ease of reporting for 
respondents. Part of the previous ``Care Coordination'' section was 
revised to include a section titled ``Utilization'' to improve clarity 
of instructions for related measures. Previously titled ``Staffing'' 
section was revised to ``Leadership and Workforce Composition'' to 
improve measure clarity and reduce overall burden for respondents by 
consolidating measures from previously separate ``Staffing,'' ``Quality 
Improvement,'' and ``Care Coordination'' sections. Revised National 
Quality Forum and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services measures 
were also included to allow uniform collection efforts throughout the 
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
    The total number of measures has increased from 40 to 48 measures 
since the previous information collection request. Of the 48 measures, 
11 measures are designated as ``optional'' or ``complete as 
applicable.'' The measures within Section 6: ``Electronic Health 
Record'' are noted as optional to grantees. In Section 9: ``Clinical 
Measures/Improved Health Outcomes,'' grantees are only required to 
respond to Clinical Measure 1: Care Coordination. Grantees can choose 
to provide data for Clinical Measures 2-10 if applicable to their 
projects. The total number of responses has remained at 10 since the 
previous information collection request. The new Care Coordination 
Program grant cycle maintained the same number of award recipients and 
number of respondents.
    Likely Respondents: The respondents would be recipients of the 
Rural Health Care Coordination Program grants.
    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
                                                  Number of    responses      Total      burden per     Total
                   Form name                     respondents      per       responses     response      burden
                                                               respondent                (in hours)     hours
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Rural Health Care Coordination Program                    10            1           10          3.5           35
 Performance Improvement Measures.............
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    Total.....................................            10            1           10          3.5           35
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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.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2024-00818 Filed 1-16-24; 8:45 am]
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