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 Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration
 AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services.
 ACTION: Notice.
 SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.
 DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than March 12, 2018.
 ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to 
                        *paperwork@hrsa.gov*
                         or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N39, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, email 
                        *paperwork@hrsa.gov*
                         or call Lisa Wright-Solomon, the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
                    ( print page 1039)
                    information, please include the information request collection title for reference. *Information Collection Request Title:*
                     Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program, OMB No. 0915-0387—Revision. *Abstract:*
                     This program is authorized by Title III, Public Health Service Act, Section 330A(g) (42 U.S.C. 254c(g)), as amended. This authority permits the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) to support grants that expand access to, coordinate, contain the cost of, and improve the quality of essential health care services, including preventive and emergency services, through the development of health care networks in rural and frontier areas and regions. The authority also allows HRSA to provide funds to rural and frontier communities to support the direct delivery of health care and related services, expand existing services, or enhance health service delivery through education, promotion, and prevention programs. The purpose of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant (Rural Quality) Program is to provide support to rural primary care providers for implementation of quality improvement activities. The program promotes the development of an evidence-based culture and delivery of coordinated care in the primary care setting. Additional objectives of the program include improved health outcomes for patients, enhanced chronic disease management, and better engagement of patients and their caregivers. Organizations participating in the program are required to use an evidence-based quality improvement model; develop, implement and assess effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives; and use health information technology (HIT) to collect and report data. HIT may include an electronic patient registry or an electronic health record, and is a critical component for improving quality and patient outcomes. With HIT, it is possible to generate timely and meaningful data, which helps providers track and plan care. *Need and Proposed Use of the Information:*
                     FORHP collects this information to quantify the impact of grant funding on access to health care, quality of services, and improvement of health outcomes. FORHP uses the data for program improvement and grantees use the data for performance tracking. The measures encompass access to care, population demographics, consortium/network, sustainability, quality improvement implementation strategies, clinical, and optional topic utilization. The proposed Rural Quality draft measures reflect a reduced number of measures: 25 total (previously 43), which includes 18 required measures applicable to all awardees in addition to 7 optional measures. Proposed revisions specifically include the following: (1) Alignment of clinical measures to current National Quality Forum endorsement recommendations and (2) broadened orientation of measures for improved applicability across variety of rural quality improvement project topic areas. *Likely Respondents:*
                     The respondents would be award recipients of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program. *Burden Statement:*
                     Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this ICR are summarized in the table below. *Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:* Form name
Number of
                             respondents
Number of
                             responses per 
                             respondent
Total
                             responses
Average
                             burden per 
                             response 
                             (in hours)
Total
                             burden 
                             hoursSmall Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program Performance Improvement Measurement System (PIMS) Measurement
32
1
32
26
832Total
32

32

832
 HRSA specifically requests comments on: (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. Amy McNulty, Acting Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.


[FR Doc. 2018-00173 Filed 1-8-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4165-15-P