[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65917-65918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18023]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0955-0019]


Agency Information Collection Request; 30-Day Public Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and 
Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed 
collection for public comment.

DATES: Comments on the ICR must be received on or before September 12, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or by calling 
(202) 264-0041 and [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the document identifier 0955-0019 and 
project title for reference, to Sherrette A. Funn, email: 
[email protected], [email protected] or call (202) 264-0041 the Reports 
Clearance Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested persons are invited to send 
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this 
collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (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.
    Title of the Collection: National Survey of Health Information 
Exchange Organizations (HIO).
    Type of Collection: New.
    OMB No. 0955-0019.
    Abstract: The Department of Health and Human Services, The Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the 
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Electronic 
health information exchange (HIE) was one of three goals specified by 
Congress in the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and 
Clinical Health (HITECH) Act to ensure that the $30 billion federal 
investment in certified electronic health records (EHRs) resulted in 
higher-quality, lower-cost care. Subsequent legislation and regulations 
have continued to prioritize the sharing of data electronically across 
EHRs and other health information systems. Health information exchange 
organizations (HIOs) play a pivotal role facilitating health 
information exchange across disparate providers, labs, pharmacies, 
public health departments, and others. This information collection 
request will gather data from HIOs across the nation through the 
administration of a survey of HIOs to generate the most current 
national statistics and associated actionable insights to inform policy 
efforts. The timely collection of national data from our survey will 
assess current capabilities of HIOs to support effective electronic 
information sharing within the U.S. health care system.
    Since prior to HITECH there has been ongoing assessment of trends 
in the capabilities of HIOs to support clinical exchange through 
nationwide surveys of HIOs. These prior surveys and studies have 
collected data on organizational structure, financial viability, 
geographic coverage, scope of services, scope of participants, 
perceptions of information blocking, support for public health 
exchange, and participation in national networks and the Technical 
Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). Continuing the ongoing 
data collection will be useful to construct a current and comprehensive 
picture of HIOs' role in facilitating exchange and ensuring rapid 
access to important health care data and information when it matters 
most, including vital data to address public health emergencies.
    The survey will collect data on HIO capabilities to support 
electronic health information exchange, their maturity, and challenges 
they face. There are five key areas that require assessment: (1) 
adoption of technical standards; (2) perceptions related to information 
blocking; (3) HIE coordination at the federal level; (4) public health 
data exchange; and (5) organizational demographics, including technical 
capabilities offered by HIOs and the challenges they face in supporting 
electronic health information exchange.
    This is a 3-year request for OMB approval.

[[Page 65918]]



                                          Annualized Burden Hour Table
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                                                                           Number of      Average       Total
       Forms (if necessary)          Respondents (if       Number of     responses per   burden per     burden
                                        necessary)        respondents     respondents     response      hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIO Survey.......................  Executive Director.             100               1        45/60           75
                                                       ---------------------------------------------------------
    Total........................  ...................  ..............               1  ...........           75
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Sherrette A. Funn,
Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance Officer, Office of the 
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-18023 Filed 8-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-45-P