[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66438-66440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21866]


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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.

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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) allow the proposed information collection 
project: ``Security Checkpoints and Patients With 
Radiopharmaceuticals.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), AHRQ invites the public to comment on 
this proposed information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 3, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Cynthia D. 
McMichael, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Suite 
5022, Rockville, MD

[[Page 66439]]

20850. Copies of the proposed collection plan, data collection 
instrument, and specific details on the estimated burden can be 
obtained from AHRQ's Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1651.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

``Security Checkpoints and Patients With Radiopharmaceuticals''

    Patients receiving radioactive therapeutic or diagnostic compounds 
(called ``radiopharmaceuticals'') can emit radiation at the time when 
they are released from a hospital facility and present danger to their 
families and the public. In addition, these individuals might activate 
radiation detectors at airports, stadiums, and other public places, and 
will be stopped for questioning by law enforcement personnel. It is 
very important that hospitals provide patients with educational 
materials that explain the unique problems patients may face as a 
result of receiving this treatment, as well as provide guidance about 
how to respond to situations where law enforcement questions and other 
concerns may arise.
    The goal of the study is to determine what procedures are followed 
by hospitals when releasing patients treated with radioactive 
compounds.
    The study will involve interviewing 60 health care providers who 
are directly involved in the release of patients treated with 
radioactive compounds.
    Specifically, the interview protocol will be centered on the 
following topics:
    (1) How health care providers determine when patients receiving 
radiopharmaceuticals can be released from care.
    (2) What type of information is provided to patients to ensure 
safety to their families and the public.
    (3) How this information is communicated to patients.
    (4) What information is (or can be) provided to patients who may 
activate radiation detectors at security checkpoints so that their 
processing is facilitated should questions regarding their medical 
procedures arise.
    Best practices identified through the analyses of interview data 
could lead to the development of standardized procedures to: (a) reduce 
secondary exposure to radiation by members of the patient's family and 
by the public; and (b) ensure that patients who activate radiation 
detectors at security checkpoints understand why they emit radiation 
and carry the appropriate documentation to validate their statements. 
The study findings will be disseminated to the health care community 
through a scholarly publication journal article (title is to be 
determined).

Data Confidentiality Provisions

    Data collected by the contractor and the contractor's draft 
analyses will be retained for one year after final acceptance of all 
contract deliverables, unless, longer retention is requested by the 
agency for audit purposes.
    All agency documents pertaining to the contract will be archived 
after the contract is completed and retained in accordance with a 
Federal Records Act of 1950 retention schedule.

Methods of Collection

    The date will be collected using a telephone survey. The contractor 
will contact each health care provider through appropriate management 
offices explaining this survey and ask to be directed to the 
appropriate, knowledgeable staff in their facility. The interviews will 
be conducted by telephone. If requested, the contractor will provide a 
copy of the interview questions in advance so that the hospital staff 
has time to obtain pertinent information. The contractor will also 
request copies of educational materials provided to patients, any 
specific tools used to calculate radiation dose to members of the 
public as well as other pertinent material. The contractor will obtain 
and evaluate the referenced educational materials qualitatively, 
describing the content and detail of such materials and reviewing them 
for clarity. In addition, the contractor will analyze the responses to 
the interview questions quantitatively and qualitatively as 
appropriate.
    To recruit the appropriate interviewees, we will first contact the 
Chief of Medicine's office and ask the staff to refer us to the Head of 
the Department of Radiology/Radiation Oncology/Nuclear Medicine. (Based 
on our experience surveying health care providers, for smaller 
hospitals it is sometimes more effective to start with the Hospital 
Administrator's office.) We will introduce ourselves, explain the goals 
of the study, and volunteer to provide a cover letter describing the 
study and any letters of endorsement. We will then contact the 
Department Heads and request that they refer us to the appropriate, 
knowledgeable staff in their departments.

                                       Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
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                                                                                                     Estimated
                                                     Number of    Estimated time     Estimated    annual cost to
                 Type of survey                     respondents   per respondent   total burden         the
                                                                    in minutes         hours        respondents
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Telephone Interviews............................              60              45              45           $4500
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................              60              45              45            4500
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited legislation, 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 functions of AHRQ, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy 
of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and cost) 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 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 request for OMB approval of the proposed 
information collection. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.


[[Page 66440]]


    Dated: October 25, 2005.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 05-21866 Filed 11-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M