2016-24843. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; Evaluation and Initial Assessment of HRSA Teaching Health Centers

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 (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) 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 must be received no later than December 13, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to [e-mail] or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N-39, 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 [e-mail] or call the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the information request collection title for reference.

Information Collection Request Title: Evaluation and Initial Assessment of HRSA Teaching Health Centers.

OMB No.: 0915-0376—Extension.

Abstract: Section 5508 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 amended section 340H of the Public Health Service Act to establish the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program to support new and the expansion of existing primary care residency training programs in community-based settings. The primary goals of this program are to increase the production of primary care providers who are well prepared to practice in community settings, particularly with underserved populations, and to improve the overall number and geographic distribution of primary care providers.

Need and Proposed Use of the Information: To ensure these goals are achieved, the George Washington University (GW) is conducting an evaluation of the training, administrative and organizational structures, clinical service, challenges, innovations, costs associated with training, and outcomes of Teaching Health Centers (THCs). GW has developed questionnaires for implementation with all THC matriculating residents, graduating residents, and graduated residents at 1 year post-graduation. The matriculation questionnaire aims to collect background information on THC residents to better understand the characteristics of individuals who apply and are accepted to THC programs. The graduation questionnaire collects information on career plans. The alumni questionnaire collects information on career outcomes (including practice in primary care and in underserved settings) following graduation as well as feedback on the quality of training.

Statute requires that THCGME program award recipients report annually on the types of primary care resident approved training programs that the THCs provided for residents, the number of approved training positions for residents, the number of residents who completed their residency training at the end of the academic year and care for vulnerable populations, and any other information as deemed appropriate by the Secretary. The described data collection activities have served to meet this statutory requirement for the THCGME program award recipients in a uniform and consistent manner and have allowed comparisons of this group to other trainees in non-THC programs. GW seeks renewal of these measures with no changes.

Likely Respondents: Respondents are medical and dental residents as well as graduates of Teaching Health Centers.

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 Information Collection Request 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 hours
THC Graduate Survey	300	1	300	0.33	99
THC Matriculant Survey	300	1	300	0.25	75
THC Graduation Survey	300	1	300	0.25	75
Total	900		900		249

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.

Jason E. Bennett,

Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.