[Federal Register: November 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 223)]
[Notices]
[Page 65290-65291]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19no03-98]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30DAY-71-03]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 498-1210. Send written
comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax
to (202) 395-6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days
of this notice.
Proposed Project: Evaluation of the Process Required to Effectively
Expand the National Laboratory System (NLS) to All States--New--Public
Health Practice Program Office (PHPPO), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
In October 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
collaborated to support demonstration projects designed to test the
feasibility of strengthening the relationship between private clinical
and public health laboratories to more rapidly identify and respond to
emerging problems of public health importance. The National Laboratory
System (NLS) concept was proposed because of concerns about the
potential impact that a lack of integration among clinical and public
health laboratories could have on the ability of the public health
system to identify and carry out a timely response to foodborne
illnesses, bioterrorism incidents or other emerging diseases.
NLS demonstration projects are funded in four states--Washington,
Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska.
The NLS concept would promote communication and collaboration
between clinical laboratories and state public health laboratories
within their states. CDC is now proposing to collect data from all
state public health laboratory directors and from a sample of clinical
laboratories in each state to determine the interest within states in
implementing the NLS concept. Results of the data collection will be
stratified by state and used to assist each state's public health
laboratory in improving communication and collaboration with the
clinical laboratories in their state. As more states implement the
systems, the ability to respond to national emergencies through
individual state systems, would be improved.
The goals of the data collection are:
[sbull] To determine the barriers that must be overcome to expand
the NLS concept in other states.
[sbull] To determine the readiness of states to develop
relationships with clinical laboratories.
[sbull] To determine the most effective communication links for
sharing information among state public health laboratories and clinical
laboratories within the state.
[sbull] To understand what topics of public health significance
could be addressed in each state if communication and coordination
between the clinical and state public health laboratories were
improved.
[sbull] To determine the most successful approach state
laboratories should use based on the organizational structure and
climate of the state health department. The estimated annual burden is
325 hours.
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No. of Avg. burden
Respondents No. of responses per per response
respondents respondent (in hrs.)
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Survey of State Public Health Directors in States Without NLS... 50 1 30/60
Survey of Clinical Laboratory Directors in All States........... 600 1 30/60
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[[Page 65291]]
Dated: November 13, 2003.
Laura Yerdon Martin,
Acting Director, Office of the Executive Secretariat, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-28865 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P