Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 401(a) of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), Public Law 111-3, amended the Social Security Act (the Act) to enact section 1139A (42 U.S.C. 1320b- 9a). Section 1139A(b) charged the Department of Health and Human Services with improving pediatric health care quality measures. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is requesting the submission of instruments or domains (for example, key concepts) measuring aspects of the transition from child-focused to adult-focused care in young adults with chronic health conditions from all researchers, vendors, hospitals, stakeholders, and other interested parties. AHRQ is interested in instruments and items through which young adults or parent proxies may assess experiences they have with the health care system, including the transition from pediatric to adult health care. The goal is to develop a standardized instrument for use in assessing the quality of transition from child-focused to adult- focused care in young adults with chronic health conditions.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking nominations for both a time-limited workgroup and a standing workgroup to be convened by an AHRQ contractor. The workgroups shall be comprised of individuals with knowledge of the AHRQ Quality Indicators (QIs), their technical specifications, and associated methodological issues. The overarching goals of each group are to provide feedback to AHRQ regarding refinements to the QIs. The time-limited workgroup is more restricted to specific clinical or methodological issues, while the standing workgroup addresses broader issues related to the measurement cycle. Because AHRQ did not get a set of candidates with anticipated breadth of diversity of experience as required in response to our notice (https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/01/28/2013-013 48/ ahrq-standing-workgroup-for-quality-indicator-measure-specifi cation) published on January 28, 2013, Volume 78, No. 18, page numbers: 5810 & 5811, AHRQ resubmits the same notice to give opportunity to those interested in this objective.

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: ``Evaluating the Knowledge and Educational Needs of Students of Health Professions on Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on January 28th, 2013 and allowed 60 days for public comment. No substantive comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.

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 changes to the currently approved information collection project: ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance Component.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on December 26th, 2012 and allowed 60 days for public comment. Two comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.

The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21 b-26, provides for the formation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ``delisted'' by the Secretary if it is found no longer to meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, or when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason. AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment from QAISys, Inc. of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO accordingly.

The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21 to b-26, (Patient Safety Act) provides for the formation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety Act (at 42 U.S.C. 299b-23) authorizes the collection of this information in a standardized manner, as explained in the related Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule, 42 CFR Part 3 (Patient Safety Rule), published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2008: 73 FR 70731-70814. AHRQ coordinates the development of a set of common definitions and reporting formats (Common Formats) that allow health care providers to voluntarily collect and submit standardized information regarding patient safety events. In order to support the Common Formats, AHRQ has provided technical specifications to promote standardization by ensuring that data collected by PSOs and other entities are clinically and electronically comparable. More information on the Common Formats, including the technical specifications, can be obtained through AHRQ's PSO Web site: https://www.PSO.AHRQ.GOV/. The purpose of this notice is to announce a meeting to discuss the Common Formats technical specifications. This meeting is designed as an interactive forum where PSOs and software developers can provide input on these technical specifications. AHRQ especially requests input from those entities which have used AHRQ's technical specifications and implemented, or plan to implement, the formats electronically.

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: ``Patient-Reported Health Information Technology and Workflow.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21b-26, provides for the formation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ``delisted'' by the Secretary if it is found no longer to meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, or when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason. AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment from The Connecticut Hospital Association Federal Patient Safety Organization of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO accordingly.

The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), Public Law 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21b-26, provides for the formation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), which collect, aggregate, and analyze confidential information regarding the quality and safety of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), 42 CFR part 3, authorizes AHRQ, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, to list as a PSO an entity that attests that it meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for listing. A PSO can be ``delisted'' by the Secretary if it is found no longer to meet the requirements of the Patient Safety Act and Patient Safety Rule, or when a PSO chooses to voluntarily relinquish its status as a PSO for any reason. AHRQ has accepted a notification of voluntary relinquishment from the BREF PSO of its status as a PSO, and has delisted the PSO accordingly.

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: ``Applying Novel Methods To Better Understand the Relationship Between Health IT and Ambulatory Care Workflow Redesign.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2), announcement is made of an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Special Emphasis Panel (SEP) meeting on ``Patient Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)''.

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: ``Pilot Test of the Proposed Value and Efficiency Surveys and Communicating About Value Checklist.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.