2023-10748. Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

AGENCY:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice with comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of Government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled National Electronic Health Records Survey (NEHRS). NEHRS will collect information about the use of electronic health records (EHRs) systems, documentation of social determinants of health or social needs, interoperability, exchange of patient health information with public health agencies, and use of telemedicine technology among office-based and outpatient physicians in the United States.

DATES:

CDC must receive written comments on or before July 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC–2023–0039 by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal:www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

• Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS H21–8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments to www.regulations.gov.

Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking portal ( www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS H21–8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: [phone]; Email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses; and

5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

National Electronic Health Records Survey (NEHRS) (OMB Control No. 0920–1015)—Reinstatement—National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) requests a Reinstatement with a Change for a three-year clearance to the National Electronic Health Records Survey (NEHRS). NCHS is requesting approval to collect data for 2024, 2025, and 2026 NEHRS cohorts.

NEHRS is a national survey of office-based physicians conducted by NCHS, and sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The survey is conducted under the authority of section 306 of the Public Health Service Act (42U.S.C. 242k).

Although there are other surveys that collect information from United States office-based physicians, NEHRS is unique in that it provides nationally representative information about the use of electronic health records (EHR) and other health information technologies. Additional justifications for conducting future rounds of NEHRS include the need for more complete data to study: (1) documentation of social needs; (2) trends in interoperability; (3) the exchange of patient health information with public health agencies; and (4) the use of telemedicine technology. The new data collections will reestablish trends of patient health information exchange with public health agencies, telemedicine technology use, as well as the evolving engagement in interoperability; particularly with respect to electronically sending, receiving, integrating, and searching for patient health information through these systems. Improving interoperability of electronic health information is a major priority for ONC, and NEHRS provides ONC with data on physicians' experience with interoperability.

CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 5,544 annual burden hours. There is no cost to respondents other than their time to participate.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Type of respondents	Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden per response (in hours)	Total burden (in hours)
Office-based physicians or office staff	NEHRS	16,633	1	20/60	5,544
Total					5,544

Jeffrey M. Zirger,

Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.