Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 72931-72934 [2011-30274]
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72931
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 228 / Monday, November 28, 2011 / Notices
EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS—Continued
Number of
respondents/
POCs
Form name
Number of
responses per
POC
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
Data Use Agreement .......................................................................
Medical Office Information Form .....................................................
Data Submission ..............................................................................
150
150
150
1
10
1
3/60
5/60
4.5
8
125
675
Total ..........................................................................................
600
NA
NA
816
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated
annualized cost burden based on the
respondents’ time to submit their data.
The cost burden is estimated to be
$34,779 annually.
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Number of respondents/POCs
Form name
Total burden
hours
Average hourly
wage rate *
Total cost burden
Eligibility Form .................................................................................
Data Use Agreement .......................................................................
Medical Office Information Form .....................................................
Data Submission ..............................................................................
150
150
150
150
8
8
125
675
$42.62
42.62
42.62
42.62
$341
341
5,328
28,769
Total ..........................................................................................
600
816
NA
34,779
* Mean hourly wage rate of $42.62 for Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC code 19111) was obtained from the May 2009 National
Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, NAICS 621100—Offices of Physicians located at https://www.bls.gov/oes/2009/
may/naics4_621100.htm.
Estimated Annual Cost to the
Government
The estimated annualized cost to the
government for developing,
maintaining, and managing the database
and analyzing the data and producing
reports is shown below. The cost is
estimated to be $310,000 annually for 3
years. The total cost is estimated to be
$930,000.
EXHIBIT 3—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST
Cost component
Total cost
Annualized cost
$59,715
82,107
111,963
111,966
7,464
556,785
$19,905
27,369
37,321
37,322
2,488
185,595
Total ......................................................................................................................................................
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Project Development ...................................................................................................................................
Data Collection Activities .............................................................................................................................
Data Processing and Analysis .....................................................................................................................
Publication of Results ..................................................................................................................................
Project Management ....................................................................................................................................
Overhead .....................................................................................................................................................
930,000
310,000
Request for Comments
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act, 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 healthcare
research and healthcare information
dissemination functions, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (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
VerDate Mar<15>2010
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Jkt 226001
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: November 7, 2011.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
intention of the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request
that the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approve the proposed
information collection project:
SUMMARY:
[FR Doc. 2011–30269 Filed 11–25–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–90–M
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 228 / Monday, November 28, 2011 / Notices
‘‘Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Clinician and Group Survey
Comparative Database.’’ In accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44
U.S.C. 3501–3521, AHRQ invites the
public to comment on this proposed
information collection.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by January 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by
email at doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
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 doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Clinician and Group Survey
Comparative Database
The Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) requests that the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approve, under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, AHRQ’s
collection of information for the AHRQ
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Database for Clinicians and Groups. The
CAHPS Clinician and Group Database
(CAHPS CG Database) consists of data
from the AHRQ CAHPS Clinician and
Group Survey (CAHPS CG Survey).
Health systems administrators, medical
groups and medical practitioners in the
U.S. are asked to voluntarily submit
data from the CAHPS CG Survey to
AHRQ through its contractor.
Dating back to the first phase of the
CAHPS program (1996–2000), the
CAHPS Consortium recognized the need
for a standardized, evidence-based
instrument that would gather data on
patients’ experiences with physicians
and staff in outpatient medical
practices, enabling clinicians and
administrators to assess and improve
patients’ experiences with medical care.
In 1999, the Consortium began work on
a survey that would assess patients’
experiences with medical groups and
clinicians. Working in collaboration
with the Pacific Business Group on
Health, whose Consumer Assessment
Survey established a precedent for this
type of instrument; the CAHPS
Consortium developed a preliminary
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:34 Nov 25, 2011
Jkt 226001
instrument known as the CAHPS Group
Practices Survey (G–CAHPS).
In August 2004, AHRQ issued a notice
in the Federal Register inviting
organizations to test this instrument.
These field test organizations were
crucial partners in the evolution and
development of the instrument, and
provided critical data illuminating key
aspects of survey design and
administration. In July 2007 the CAHPS
CG Survey was endorsed by the
National Quality Forum (NQF), an
organization established to standardize
health care quality measurement and
reporting. The endorsement represents
the consensus of many health care
providers, consumer groups,
professional associations, purchasers,
federal agencies, and research and
quality organizations. The CAHPS CG
Survey and related toolkit materials are
available on the CAHPS Web site at
https://www.cahps.ahrq.gov/cahpskit/
CG/CGChooseQX.asp. Since its release,
the survey has been used by thousands
of physicians and medical practices
across the U.S.
The current CAHPS Consortium
includes AHRQ, the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),
RAND, Yale School of Public Health,
and Westat.
AHRQ has developed the database for
CAHPS CG Survey data following the
CAHPS Health Plan Database as a
model. The CAHPS Health Plan
Database was developed in 1998 in
response to requests from health plans,
purchasers, and CMS for comparative
data to support public reporting of
health plan ratings, health plan
accreditation and quality improvement
(OMB Control Number 0935–0165,
Expiration Date 7/31/2013). Demand for
comparative results from the CG Survey
has grown as well, and therefore AHRQ
has developed a dedicated CG Database
to support benchmarking, quality
improvement, and research.
The CAHPS CG Database contains
data from AHRQ’s standardized CAHPS
CG Survey, which provides comparative
measures of quality to health care
purchasers, consumers, regulators, and
policy makers. The Database also
provides data for AHRQ’s annual
National Healthcare Quality and
National Healthcare Disparities Reports.
Health systems, medical groups and
practices that administer the CAHPS CG
Survey according to CAHPS
specifications can participate in this
project. A health system is a complex of
facilities, organizations, and providers
of health care in a specified geographic
area. A medical group is defined as a
medical group, Accountable Care
Organization (ACO), state organization
PO 00000
Frm 00036
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
or some other grouping of practices. A
practice is an outpatient facility in a
specific location whose physicians and
other providers share administrative
and clinical support staff Each practice
located in a building containing
multiple medical offices is considered a
separate practice.
The goal of this project is to continue
to update the CAHPS CG Database, with
the latest results of the CAHPS CG
Survey. These results consist of 37 items
that measure 5 areas or composites of
patients’ experiences with physicians
and staff in outpatient medical
practices. This database will 1) allow
participating organizations to compare
their survey results with those of other
outpatient medical groups; 2) facilitate
internal assessment and learning in the
quality improvement process; and 3)
provide information to help identify
strengths and areas with potential for
improvement in patient care. The five
composite measures are:
Getting Timely Appointments, Care, and
Information;
How Well Doctors Communicate With
Patients;
Helpful, Courteous, and Respectful
Office Staff;
Follow-up on Test Results;
Patients’ Rating of the Doctor.
This study is being conducted by
AHRQ through its contractor, Westat,
pursuant to AHRQ’s 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; quality measurement and
improvement; and health surveys and
database development. 42 U.S.C.
299a(a)(1), (2), and (8).
Method of Collection
To achieve the goal of this project, the
following activities and data collections
will be implemented:
(1) Registration Form—The purpose of
this form is to determine the eligibility
status and initiate the registration
process for participating organizations
seeking to voluntarily submit their
CAHPS CG Survey data to the CAHPS
CG Comparative Database. The point of
contact (POC) at the participating
organization (or parent organization)
will complete the form. The POC is
either a corporate-level health care
manager or a survey vendor who
contracts with a participating
organization to collect the CAHPS CG
Survey data.
(2) Data Use Agreement—The purpose
of this form is to obtain authorization
from participating organizations to use
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their voluntarily submitted CAHPS CG
Survey data for analysis and reporting
according to the terms specified in the
Data Use Agreement (DUA). The POC
will complete the form.
(3) Data Submission—After the POC
has completed the Registration Form
and the Data Use Agreement, they will
submit their patient-level data from the
CAHPS CG Survey to the CAHPS CG
Comparative Database. Data on the
organizational characteristics such as
ownership, number of patient visits per
year and medical specialty, and
information related to survey
administration such as mode and dates
of survey administration, sample size,
and response rate, which are collected
as part of CAHPS CG Survey operations,
are also submitted. Each submission
will consist of 3 data files: (1) A Group
File that contains information about the
group ownership and size of group, (2)
a Practice File containing type of
practice, the practice ownership and
affiliation (i.e., commercial, hospital or
integrated delivery system, insurance
company, university or medical school,
community health center, VA or
military) and number of patient visits
per year, and (3) a Sample File that
contains one record for each patient
surveyed, the date of visit, survey
disposition code and information about
survey completion.
Survey data from the CAHPS CG
Database is used to produce three types
of products: (1) An online reporting of
results available to the public on the
CAHPS User Network web site; (2)
comparative reports that are
confidential and customized for each
participating organization (e.g., health
system, medical group or practice) that
submits data; and (3) a database
available to researchers for additional
analyses.
Information for the CAHPS CG
Database is collected by AHRQ through
its contractor Westat. Participating
organizations are asked to voluntarily
submit their data to the CARPS
Database. The data is cleaned with
standardized programs, then aggregated
and used to produce comparative
results. In addition, reports are
produced that compare the participating
organizations’ results to the database in
a password-protected section of the
CAHPS Database online reporting
system. Trend data will be available to
participants when enough data is
collected across consecutive years.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated
annualized burden hours for
participating organizations. The burden
hours and costs below are based on an
estimated number of participants. It is
estimated that about 30 health systems,
medical groups and practices will
participate in the CAHPS CG Database.
The number of data submissions per
participating organization will vary
because some participants may submit
data for multiple practices, while others
may only submit data for one.
The total burden for completing the
registration, DUA and data submission
process is estimated to be 246 hours.
The 30 participating organizations that
complete the registration form and
submit information to the CAHPS CG
Database are a combination of an
estimated 20 health systems, medical
groups and practices and 10 estimated
vendors. Information about survey
administration and the survey data files
are submitted together for each
participating organization.
EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS
Number of
respondents/
POCs
Form name
Number of
responses
per POC
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
Registration Form ............................................................................................
Data Submission ..............................................................................................
Data Use Agreement .......................................................................................
30
30
30
1
1
1
6/60
7 and 6/60
1
3
213
30
Total ..........................................................................................................
30
NA
8 and 12/60
246
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated
annualized cost burden based on the
respondents’ time to complete the
submission process. The cost burden is
estimated to be $10,485 annually.
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Number of
respondents
Form name
Total burden
hours
Average
hourly wage
rate *
Total cost
burden
Registration Form ............................................................................................
Data Submission ..............................................................................................
Data Use Agreement .......................................................................................
30
30
30
3
213
30
42.62
42.62
42.62
128
9,078
1,279
Total ..........................................................................................................
30
246
NA
10,485
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
* Mean hourly wage rate of $42.62 for Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC code 19111) was obtained from the May 2009 National
Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, NAICS 621100—Offices of Physicians located at https://www.bls.gov/oes/2009/
may/naics4_621100.htm.
Estimated Annual Cost to the
Government
Exhibit 3 shows the estimated
annualized cost to the government for
developing, maintaining and managing
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15:34 Nov 25, 2011
Jkt 226001
the CAHPS CG Database, analyzing the
data and reporting results. The cost is
estimated to be $220,000 annually.
Annualized costs for collecting and
processing the CAHPS CG Database are
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
based upon 10 years of historical
CAHPS Health Plan Database project
costs. AHRQ wishes to continue this
data collection indefinitely and requests
OMB approval for 3 years.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 228 / Monday, November 28, 2011 / Notices
EXHIBIT 3—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST
Cost component
Total cost
Annualized
cost
Database Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................
Data Submission ......................................................................................................................................................
Data Analysis and Reporting ...................................................................................................................................
$120,000
240,000
300,000
$40,000
80,000
100,000
Total ..................................................................................................................................................................
660,000
220,000
Request for Comments
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act, 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 healthcare
research and healthcare information
dissemination functions, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (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: November 15, 2011.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2011–30274 Filed 11–25–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–90–M
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Proposed Information Collection
Activity; Comment Request
Title: ACF–OGM–SF–PPR–Form B—
Program Indicators.
OMB No. New Collection.
Description
The Office of Grants Management
(OGM), in the Administration for
Children and Families (ACF) is
proposing the collection of program
performance data for ACF’s
discretionary grantees. To collect this
data OGM has developed a form from
the basic template of the OMB-approved
reporting format of the Program
Performance Report. OGM will use this
data to determine if grantees are
proceeding in a satisfactory manner in
meeting the approved goals and
objectives of the project, and if funding
should be continued for another budget
period.
Respondents: All ACF Discretionary
Grantees. State governments, Native
American Tribal governments, Native
American Tribal Organizations, Local
Governments, and Nonprofits with or
without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.
ANNUAL BURDEN ESTIMATES
Number of
responses
per
respondent
Average
burden
hours
per
response
Total burden
hours
ACF–OGM–SF–PPR–B ...................................................................................
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Instrument
Number of
respondents
6000
1
1
6,000
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 6,000.
In compliance with the requirements
of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment
on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above.
Copies of the proposed collection of
information can be obtained and
comments may be forwarded by writing
to the Administration for Children and
Families, Office of Administration,
Office of Information Services, 370
L’Enfant Promenade SW., Washington,
DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance
Officer. Email address:
infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. All requests
should be identified by the title of the
information collection.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:34 Nov 25, 2011
Jkt 226001
The Department specifically requests
comments on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4703
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comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–30518 Filed 11–25–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
State Court Improvement Program
OMB No.: 0970–0307.
Description: The Court Improvement
Program (CIP) is composed of three
grants, the basic, data, and training
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 228 (Monday, November 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72931-72934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30274]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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) approve the proposed information collection
project:
[[Page 72932]]
``Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Clinician and Group Survey Comparative Database.'' In accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the
public to comment on this proposed information collection.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at
doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
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
doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Clinician and Group Survey Comparative Database
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requests that
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve, under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, AHRQ's collection of information for the AHRQ
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
Database for Clinicians and Groups. The CAHPS Clinician and Group
Database (CAHPS CG Database) consists of data from the AHRQ CAHPS
Clinician and Group Survey (CAHPS CG Survey). Health systems
administrators, medical groups and medical practitioners in the U.S.
are asked to voluntarily submit data from the CAHPS CG Survey to AHRQ
through its contractor.
Dating back to the first phase of the CAHPS program (1996-2000),
the CAHPS Consortium recognized the need for a standardized, evidence-
based instrument that would gather data on patients' experiences with
physicians and staff in outpatient medical practices, enabling
clinicians and administrators to assess and improve patients'
experiences with medical care. In 1999, the Consortium began work on a
survey that would assess patients' experiences with medical groups and
clinicians. Working in collaboration with the Pacific Business Group on
Health, whose Consumer Assessment Survey established a precedent for
this type of instrument; the CAHPS Consortium developed a preliminary
instrument known as the CAHPS Group Practices Survey (G-CAHPS).
In August 2004, AHRQ issued a notice in the Federal Register
inviting organizations to test this instrument. These field test
organizations were crucial partners in the evolution and development of
the instrument, and provided critical data illuminating key aspects of
survey design and administration. In July 2007 the CAHPS CG Survey was
endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF), an organization
established to standardize health care quality measurement and
reporting. The endorsement represents the consensus of many health care
providers, consumer groups, professional associations, purchasers,
federal agencies, and research and quality organizations. The CAHPS CG
Survey and related toolkit materials are available on the CAHPS Web
site at https://www.cahps.ahrq.gov/cahpskit/CG/CGChooseQX.asp. Since its
release, the survey has been used by thousands of physicians and
medical practices across the U.S.
The current CAHPS Consortium includes AHRQ, the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), RAND, Yale School of Public Health,
and Westat.
AHRQ has developed the database for CAHPS CG Survey data following
the CAHPS Health Plan Database as a model. The CAHPS Health Plan
Database was developed in 1998 in response to requests from health
plans, purchasers, and CMS for comparative data to support public
reporting of health plan ratings, health plan accreditation and quality
improvement (OMB Control Number 0935-0165, Expiration Date 7/31/2013).
Demand for comparative results from the CG Survey has grown as well,
and therefore AHRQ has developed a dedicated CG Database to support
benchmarking, quality improvement, and research.
The CAHPS CG Database contains data from AHRQ's standardized CAHPS
CG Survey, which provides comparative measures of quality to health
care purchasers, consumers, regulators, and policy makers. The Database
also provides data for AHRQ's annual National Healthcare Quality and
National Healthcare Disparities Reports.
Health systems, medical groups and practices that administer the
CAHPS CG Survey according to CAHPS specifications can participate in
this project. A health system is a complex of facilities,
organizations, and providers of health care in a specified geographic
area. A medical group is defined as a medical group, Accountable Care
Organization (ACO), state organization or some other grouping of
practices. A practice is an outpatient facility in a specific location
whose physicians and other providers share administrative and clinical
support staff Each practice located in a building containing multiple
medical offices is considered a separate practice.
The goal of this project is to continue to update the CAHPS CG
Database, with the latest results of the CAHPS CG Survey. These results
consist of 37 items that measure 5 areas or composites of patients'
experiences with physicians and staff in outpatient medical practices.
This database will 1) allow participating organizations to compare
their survey results with those of other outpatient medical groups; 2)
facilitate internal assessment and learning in the quality improvement
process; and 3) provide information to help identify strengths and
areas with potential for improvement in patient care. The five
composite measures are:
Getting Timely Appointments, Care, and Information;
How Well Doctors Communicate With Patients;
Helpful, Courteous, and Respectful Office Staff;
Follow-up on Test Results;
Patients' Rating of the Doctor.
This study is being conducted by AHRQ through its contractor,
Westat, pursuant to AHRQ's 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; quality
measurement and improvement; and health surveys and database
development. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (2), and (8).
Method of Collection
To achieve the goal of this project, the following activities and
data collections will be implemented:
(1) Registration Form--The purpose of this form is to determine the
eligibility status and initiate the registration process for
participating organizations seeking to voluntarily submit their CAHPS
CG Survey data to the CAHPS CG Comparative Database. The point of
contact (POC) at the participating organization (or parent
organization) will complete the form. The POC is either a corporate-
level health care manager or a survey vendor who contracts with a
participating organization to collect the CAHPS CG Survey data.
(2) Data Use Agreement--The purpose of this form is to obtain
authorization from participating organizations to use
[[Page 72933]]
their voluntarily submitted CAHPS CG Survey data for analysis and
reporting according to the terms specified in the Data Use Agreement
(DUA). The POC will complete the form.
(3) Data Submission--After the POC has completed the Registration
Form and the Data Use Agreement, they will submit their patient-level
data from the CAHPS CG Survey to the CAHPS CG Comparative Database.
Data on the organizational characteristics such as ownership, number of
patient visits per year and medical specialty, and information related
to survey administration such as mode and dates of survey
administration, sample size, and response rate, which are collected as
part of CAHPS CG Survey operations, are also submitted. Each submission
will consist of 3 data files: (1) A Group File that contains
information about the group ownership and size of group, (2) a Practice
File containing type of practice, the practice ownership and
affiliation (i.e., commercial, hospital or integrated delivery system,
insurance company, university or medical school, community health
center, VA or military) and number of patient visits per year, and (3)
a Sample File that contains one record for each patient surveyed, the
date of visit, survey disposition code and information about survey
completion.
Survey data from the CAHPS CG Database is used to produce three
types of products: (1) An online reporting of results available to the
public on the CAHPS User Network web site; (2) comparative reports that
are confidential and customized for each participating organization
(e.g., health system, medical group or practice) that submits data; and
(3) a database available to researchers for additional analyses.
Information for the CAHPS CG Database is collected by AHRQ through
its contractor Westat. Participating organizations are asked to
voluntarily submit their data to the CARPS Database. The data is
cleaned with standardized programs, then aggregated and used to produce
comparative results. In addition, reports are produced that compare the
participating organizations' results to the database in a password-
protected section of the CAHPS Database online reporting system. Trend
data will be available to participants when enough data is collected
across consecutive years.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for
participating organizations. The burden hours and costs below are based
on an estimated number of participants. It is estimated that about 30
health systems, medical groups and practices will participate in the
CAHPS CG Database. The number of data submissions per participating
organization will vary because some participants may submit data for
multiple practices, while others may only submit data for one.
The total burden for completing the registration, DUA and data
submission process is estimated to be 246 hours. The 30 participating
organizations that complete the registration form and submit
information to the CAHPS CG Database are a combination of an estimated
20 health systems, medical groups and practices and 10 estimated
vendors. Information about survey administration and the survey data
files are submitted together for each participating organization.
Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Number of
Form name respondents/ responses per Hours per Total burden
POCs POC response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration Form............................... 30 1 6/60 3
Data Submission................................. 30 1 7 and 6/60 213
Data Use Agreement.............................. 30 1 1 30
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 30 NA 8 and 12/60 246
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden based on the
respondents' time to complete the submission process. The cost burden
is estimated to be $10,485 annually.
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Form name Number of Total burden hourly wage Total cost
respondents hours rate * burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration Form............................... 30 3 42.62 128
Data Submission................................. 30 213 42.62 9,078
Data Use Agreement.............................. 30 30 42.62 1,279
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 30 246 NA 10,485
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Mean hourly wage rate of $42.62 for Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC code 19111) was obtained from
the May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, NAICS 621100--Offices of
Physicians located at https://www.bls.gov/oes/2009/may/naics4_621100.htm.
Estimated Annual Cost to the Government
Exhibit 3 shows the estimated annualized cost to the government for
developing, maintaining and managing the CAHPS CG Database, analyzing
the data and reporting results. The cost is estimated to be $220,000
annually. Annualized costs for collecting and processing the CAHPS CG
Database are based upon 10 years of historical CAHPS Health Plan
Database project costs. AHRQ wishes to continue this data collection
indefinitely and requests OMB approval for 3 years.
[[Page 72934]]
Exhibit 3--Estimated Annualized Cost
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized
Cost component Total cost cost
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Database Maintenance.................... $120,000 $40,000
Data Submission......................... 240,000 80,000
Data Analysis and Reporting............. 300,000 100,000
-------------------------------
Total............................... 660,000 220,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Comments
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 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 healthcare research and
healthcare information dissemination functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (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: November 15, 2011.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-30274 Filed 11-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M