Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 22266-22267 [2013-08409]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 72 / Monday, April 15, 2013 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
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: ‘‘The
Feasibility of Alternative Models for
Collecting New Data on Physicians and
Their Practices.’’ 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 June 14, 2013.
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:
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
Proposed Project
The Feasibility of Alternative Models
for Collecting New Data on Physicians
and Their Practices Physicians play a
vital role in the American health care
system. Physicians, and other providers
in their practices, provide direct
medical care, and they also refer
patients for many other medical
services. Directly or indirectly,
therefore, physician activities can have
an important impact on healthcare
access, quality, and cost. Given their key
role, accurate and timely longitudinal
information about physicians is
essential to understanding the
functioning of the health care system,
identifying best practices and potential
efficiencies, and assessing the impact of
programmatic and policy reforms,
including the development of new
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17:00 Apr 12, 2013
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organizational forms relevant to
physician practices (e.g., accountable
care organizations).
At present, however, no
comprehensive longitudinal data
collection effort addresses all levels of
the current complexity of physician
practices and, most importantly, the
larger organizational context of their
decision making. This has limited the
ability of researchers to monitor and
predict the behavior of health care
providers; assess or anticipate the likely
impact of proposed policy changes;
understand geographic variations in the
provision, cost, and quality of health
care services; assess health care
provider availability and labor resource
issues; and provide timely information
and analyses about such issues to public
policymakers and private sector
decision makers and managers.
The Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ), policymakers,
researchers who directly inform
policymakers, and Federal and other
stakeholders, all working together, have
identified a clear need for an ongoing,
regular way to collect new data in order
to provide a comprehensive picture of
physicians, their immediate practice
sites, and the larger organizational and
market contexts in which individual
practices sit. The long term aims are to
track, monitor, and analyze how
physicians are responding to: (1)
Ongoing health reform initiatives (both
Federal and State) and (2) associated
market and technological changes.
AHRQ has developed survey
instruments (questions) and, with this
project, will test the feasibility of
extracting this new policy relevant
information from a random sample of
physicians and their practices. The
questionnaire development was based
on an extensive environmental scan
which reviewed all surveys of
physicians conducted over the last
decade and through discussions with
our technical expert panel and
stakeholders, in order to avoid
duplication with other efforts and to
build on and use other efforts in
strategically productive ways.
This research seeks to add to the
knowledge available from current
surveys in two important ways. First,
we are testing the addition of questions
for all physicians specialties, including
radiology, anesthesiology, and
pathology which are currently excluded
from other surveys. Second, this effort
includes an innovative experiment to
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obtain information about the
organization within which the sampled
physician practices. Many of the
changes taking place in the health care
market are occurring at the
organizational level. Physicians may or
may not be the most reliable respondent
for questions about organizational
changes that do not directly affect the
physician-patient interaction. However,
organizational information is vitally
important for assessing the changing
health care system. This project aims to
fill that gap by providing data on
optimal methods for collecting
organizational information. For
example, the data collection effort
involves experimental solicitation of
information from the physician, a
designated manager, or both. Other
experiments involve variation in how
particular questions might be asked.
This data collection will enable
AHRQ and the Department to pretest
new physician questions and new
physician practice questions, so that
future acquisitions of such
information—whether in a new survey
or an expansion of an existing federal
survey—rest on empirical analyses
derived from a real-world fielding of the
questions.
This study is being conducted by
AHRQ through its contractor,
Mathematica Policy Research, pursuant
to AHRQ’s statutory authority to
conduct and support research on health
care and systems for the delivery of
such care, including activities with
respect to the quality, effectiveness,
efficiency, appropriateness, and value of
health care services, clinical practice,
and health statistics and surveys (42
U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (4), and (8)).
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annual
burden hours for each respondent’s
participation time in this research
project. The physician questionnaire
will be completed by 1,750 physicians
and takes 20 minutes to complete. The
practice questionnaire will be
completed by 334 practice
administrators and 333 physicians (667
total) and takes 10 minutes to complete.
The total annual burden is estimated to
be 694 hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annual
cost burden associated with the
respondents’ time to participate in this
research. The total annual cost burden
is estimated to be $63,725.
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15APN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 72 / Monday, April 15, 2013 / Notices
EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS
Number of
respondents
Form name
Number of
responses per
respondent
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
Physician Questionnaire ..................................................................................
Practice Organization Questionnaire ...............................................................
1,750
667
1
1
20/60
10/60
583
111
Total ..........................................................................................................
2,417
na
na
694
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Number of
respondents
Form name
Total burden
hours
Average
hourly wage
rate*
Total cost
burden
Physician Questionnaire ..................................................................................
Practice Organization Questionnaire ...............................................................
1750
667
583
111
$95.79 a
70.98 b
$55,846
7,879
Total ..........................................................................................................
2,417
694
na
63,725
* National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States May 2011, ‘‘U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.’’
a Based on the mean wages for Pediatricians, General (29–1065); Family and General Practitioners (29–1062); Internists, General (29–1063);
Psychiatrists (29–1066); Anesthesiologists (29–1061); Surgeons (29–1067); Obstetricians and Gynecologists (29–1064); and Physicians & Surgeons, All Other (29–1069)
b Based on the mean wages for 334 Medical and Health Services Managers (11–9111) and 333 physicians (as defined above).
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 health care
research and health care 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: March 12, 2013.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2013–08409 Filed 4–12–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–90–M
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
be received within 60 days of this
notice.
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Proposed Data Collections Submitted
for Public Comment and
Recommendations
Proposed Project
Aggregate Reports for Tuberculosis
Program Evaluation (0920–0457—Exp.
9–30–2013)—Extension—National
Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis,
STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP),
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
In compliance with the requirement
of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for
opportunity for public comment on
proposed data collection projects, the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic
summaries of proposed projects. To
request more information on the
proposed projects or to obtain a copy of
the data collection plans and
instruments, call 404–639–7570 or send
comments to Ron Otten, 1600 Clifton
Road, MS–D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or
send an email to omb@cdc.gov.
Comments are invited 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)
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
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology. Written comments should
Background and Brief Description
CDC requests the extension of the
Aggregate Reports for Tuberculosis
Program Evaluation, previously
approved under OMB No. 0920–0457
for 3-years. There are no revisions to the
report forms, data definitions, or
reporting instructions.
To ensure the elimination of
tuberculosis in the United States, CDC
monitors indicators for key program
activities, such as finding tuberculosis
infections in recent contacts of cases
and in other persons likely to be
infected and providing therapy for
latent tuberculosis infection. In 2000,
CDC implemented two program
evaluation reports for annual
submission: Aggregate report of followup for contacts of tuberculosis, and
Aggregate report of screening and
preventive therapy for tuberculosis
infection (OMB No. 0920–0457). The
respondents for these reports are the 68
state and local tuberculosis control
programs receiving federal cooperative
agreement funding through the CDC
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
(DTBE). These reports emphasize
treatment outcomes, high-priority target
populations vulnerable to tuberculosis,
[60Day-13–0457]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 72 (Monday, April 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22266-22267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08409]
[[Page 22266]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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: ``The Feasibility of Alternative Models for Collecting New
Data on Physicians and Their Practices.'' 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 June 14, 2013.
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
The Feasibility of Alternative Models for Collecting New Data on
Physicians and Their Practices Physicians play a vital role in the
American health care system. Physicians, and other providers in their
practices, provide direct medical care, and they also refer patients
for many other medical services. Directly or indirectly, therefore,
physician activities can have an important impact on healthcare access,
quality, and cost. Given their key role, accurate and timely
longitudinal information about physicians is essential to understanding
the functioning of the health care system, identifying best practices
and potential efficiencies, and assessing the impact of programmatic
and policy reforms, including the development of new organizational
forms relevant to physician practices (e.g., accountable care
organizations).
At present, however, no comprehensive longitudinal data collection
effort addresses all levels of the current complexity of physician
practices and, most importantly, the larger organizational context of
their decision making. This has limited the ability of researchers to
monitor and predict the behavior of health care providers; assess or
anticipate the likely impact of proposed policy changes; understand
geographic variations in the provision, cost, and quality of health
care services; assess health care provider availability and labor
resource issues; and provide timely information and analyses about such
issues to public policymakers and private sector decision makers and
managers.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ),
policymakers, researchers who directly inform policymakers, and Federal
and other stakeholders, all working together, have identified a clear
need for an ongoing, regular way to collect new data in order to
provide a comprehensive picture of physicians, their immediate practice
sites, and the larger organizational and market contexts in which
individual practices sit. The long term aims are to track, monitor, and
analyze how physicians are responding to: (1) Ongoing health reform
initiatives (both Federal and State) and (2) associated market and
technological changes. AHRQ has developed survey instruments
(questions) and, with this project, will test the feasibility of
extracting this new policy relevant information from a random sample of
physicians and their practices. The questionnaire development was based
on an extensive environmental scan which reviewed all surveys of
physicians conducted over the last decade and through discussions with
our technical expert panel and stakeholders, in order to avoid
duplication with other efforts and to build on and use other efforts in
strategically productive ways.
This research seeks to add to the knowledge available from current
surveys in two important ways. First, we are testing the addition of
questions for all physicians specialties, including radiology,
anesthesiology, and pathology which are currently excluded from other
surveys. Second, this effort includes an innovative experiment to
obtain information about the organization within which the sampled
physician practices. Many of the changes taking place in the health
care market are occurring at the organizational level. Physicians may
or may not be the most reliable respondent for questions about
organizational changes that do not directly affect the physician-
patient interaction. However, organizational information is vitally
important for assessing the changing health care system. This project
aims to fill that gap by providing data on optimal methods for
collecting organizational information. For example, the data collection
effort involves experimental solicitation of information from the
physician, a designated manager, or both. Other experiments involve
variation in how particular questions might be asked.
This data collection will enable AHRQ and the Department to pretest
new physician questions and new physician practice questions, so that
future acquisitions of such information--whether in a new survey or an
expansion of an existing federal survey--rest on empirical analyses
derived from a real-world fielding of the questions.
This study is being conducted by AHRQ through its contractor,
Mathematica Policy Research, pursuant to AHRQ's statutory authority to
conduct and support research on health care and systems for the
delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the
quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness, and value of
health care services, clinical practice, and health statistics and
surveys (42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (4), and (8)).
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annual burden hours for each
respondent's participation time in this research project. The physician
questionnaire will be completed by 1,750 physicians and takes 20
minutes to complete. The practice questionnaire will be completed by
334 practice administrators and 333 physicians (667 total) and takes 10
minutes to complete. The total annual burden is estimated to be 694
hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annual cost burden associated with
the respondents' time to participate in this research. The total annual
cost burden is estimated to be $63,725.
[[Page 22267]]
Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Physician Questionnaire......................... 1,750 1 20/60 583
Practice Organization Questionnaire............. 667 1 10/60 111
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 2,417 na na 694
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Form name respondents hours wage rate* burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Physician Questionnaire......................... 1750 583 $95.79 \a\ $55,846
Practice Organization Questionnaire............. 667 111 70.98 \b\ 7,879
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 2,417 694 na 63,725
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States May 2011, ``U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics.''
\a\ Based on the mean wages for Pediatricians, General (29-1065); Family and General Practitioners (29-1062);
Internists, General (29-1063); Psychiatrists (29-1066); Anesthesiologists (29-1061); Surgeons (29-1067);
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (29-1064); and Physicians & Surgeons, All Other (29-1069)
\b\ Based on the mean wages for 334 Medical and Health Services Managers (11-9111) and 333 physicians (as
defined above).
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 health care research and
health care 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: March 12, 2013.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-08409 Filed 4-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M
