[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 241 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 64835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30850]


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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 the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to allow the proposed information 
collection: ``Voluntary Customer Surveys of `Partners' for the Agency 
for Healthcare Research and Quality.'' In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information 
collection request to allow AHRQ to conduct these customer satisfaction 
surveys.
    This proposed information collection was previously published in 
the Federal Register on September 21, 2001 and allowed 60 Days for 
public comment.
    No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to 
allow an additional 30 Days of public comment.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 14, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Allison Eydt, Human 
Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, OMB: New Executive Office Building, Room 10235; Washington, DC 
20503.
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 594-3132.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

    Voluntary Customer Surveys of ``Partners'' for the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality.
    In response to Executive Order 12862, the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality (AHRQ) plans to conduct voluntary customer surveys 
of ``partners'' to identify how well AHRQ is performing its functions 
with its partners and to use this information to determine the kind and 
quality of services they like and expect, their level of satisfaction 
with existing services, and to implement improvements where feasible 
and practical.
    AHRQ partners are typically health care payers, plans, 
practitioners and providers, researchers, professional associations, 
AHRQ data suppliers, and State and local governments, as well as 
persons or entities that provide service to the public for AHRQ, e.g., 
dissemination of AHRQ publications by a ``middle man'' such as a 
professional society.
    Partner surveys to be conducted by AHRQ may include surveys of 
research grantees to measure satisfaction with technical assistance 
received from AHRQ. The questions asked may include whether there is a 
need for extended hours to answer inquiries related to grant 
applications or for the development of a comprehensive manual on 
submission of grant applications. In addition, AHRQ wants to survey 
individual recipients of training grants to evaluate their experience 
with AHRQ training grant programs. Similarly, the Office of Health Care 
Information (OHCI) is proposing to survey researchers to determine how 
AHRQ could better serve the research community. Results of these 
surveys will be used to assess and redirect resources and efforts 
needed to improve services.

Method of Collection

    The data will be collected using a combination of preferred 
methodologies appropriate to each survey. These methodologies are:
    <bullet> Mail and telephone surveys;
    <bullet> Electronic technologies; and
    <bullet> Focus groups.
    The estimated annual hour burden is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Average
                                  Number of      burden/     Total hours
         Type of survey          respondents   response in    of burden
                                                 minutes
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Mail/Telephone Surveys/                9,400          20         3,133.3
 Electronic Technologies.......
Focus Groups...................          700          97.7        1140
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    Totals.....................       10,100          25.4       4,273.3
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited Paperwork Reduction Act 
legislation, comments on this AHRQ information collection proposals 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 the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency'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. Copies 
of the proposed collection plans and can be obtained from the AHRQ 
Reports Clearance Officer (see above).

    Dated: December 10, 2001.
John M. Eisenberg,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-30850 Filed 12-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M