[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 14152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7464]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
[30DAY-2-97]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Office on (404) 639-7090. Send written 
comments to CDC, Desk Officer; Human Resources and Housing Branch, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235; Washington, DC 20503. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    1. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System--
(0920-0012)--Reinstatement--The National Nosocomial Infections 
Surveillance (NNIS) system is currently the only source for national 
data on nosocomial (hospital-associated) infections in the United 
States. It first began collecting data in 1970. It is a collaborative 
project between the Hospital Infections Program of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and voluntarily participating 
hospitals in the United States. The goals of the system are to: (1) 
Develop comparative nosocomial infection rates that can be used by 
hospitals to assess quality of care, (2) describe the scope and 
magnitude, including trends, of the nosocomial infection problem in the 
U.S., (3) identify risk factors associated with these infections, (4) 
assist hospitals in the effective use of surveillance data to improve 
the quality of patient care, and (5) conduct collaborative research 
studies. Data are collected using protocols developed by CDC that 
define the specific populations of patients at risk, risk factors, and 
outcomes. The decision about which component(s) to use is made by each 
hospital depending on its own needs for surveillance data. The data are 
collected by trained surveillance personnel, assisted by hospital 
personnel, and are entered into IDEAS, a surveillance software which 
makes the data available for analysis at the hospital's convenience. 
The data are currently transmitted to CDC by floppy disk, then 
aggregated into a national database. During 1996, it will become 
possible for some hospitals to transmit the data to CDC through the 
NNIS telecommunications system. This system is expected to be used by 
all participating hospitals by 1997, resulting in reduced response 
time. NNIS methodology, which has been published, is the standard 
nosocomial infection surveillance methodology and is used at least in 
part by most U.S. hospitals. The total annual burden hours are 338.

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                                                                                   Number of       Avg. burden/ 
                         Respondents                              Number of        responses/     response  (in 
                                                                 respondents       respondent         hours)    
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Hospitals....................................................             319               14           0.0756 
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    Dated: March 19, 1997.
Wilma G. Johnson,
Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 97-7464 Filed 3-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P