2014-29772. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

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), the Health Resources and Services Administration (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 Information Collection Request must be received no later than February 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to [e-mail] or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, Parklawn Building, 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: Rural Health Network Development Program OMB No. 0915-XXXX—New

Abstract: This program is authorized under Section 330A(f) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 254c(f). This authority directs the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) to support grants for eligible entities to promote, through planning and implementation, the development of integrated health care networks that have combined the functions of the entities participating in the networks in order to: (i) Achieve efficiencies; (ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.

The Rural Health Network Development Program is designed to assist rural health care providers to acclimate to the evolving health care environment by addressing relevant topics to the health care environment as identified by the rural community. The program also enables rural health networks to continue to be a locus of innovation in maximizing limited rural health resources in times of economic hardship and decreased access to health care services that can be modeled in other communities, both rural and urban. This is a 3-year competitive program for mature networks composed of at least three members that are separate, existing health care provider entities.

Need and Proposed Use of the Information: For this program, performance measures were drafted to provide data to the program and to enable HRSA to provide aggregate program data. These measures cover the principal topic areas of interest to the Office of Rural Health Policy, including: (a) Network infrastructure; (b) network collaboration; (c) sustainability; and (d) network assessment. Several measures will be used for this program.

Likely Respondents: The respondents would be Rural Health Network Development Program grant recipients.

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
Performance Improvement and Measurement System (PIMS) Database	54	1	54	6.7	361.8
Total	54	1	54	6.7	361.8

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.

Jackie Painter,

Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.