FR Doc 06-8831

[Federal Register: October 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 205)]
[Notices]
[Page 62266-62267]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24oc06-53]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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, Department of
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) allow the proposed information collection
project: ``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of Pay-for-
Quality Programs.'' 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.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 26, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 5036,
Rockville, MD 20850.
Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be
obtained from AHRQ's Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ, Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

``Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of Pay-for-Quality
(P4Q) Programs.''
The P4Q Evaluation is a multi-method research project designed to
evaluate the implementation and impact of P4Q programs on physicians
across three programs operating in health care safety net settings. The
P4Q programs participating in the evaluation are offering their health
care providers financial incentives to achieve predefined quality
targets. Data collected as part of this evaluation will have direct
operational relevance to

[[Page 62267]]

payers and providers regarding the value and challenges of P4Q programs
in safety net settings. The P4Q evaluation is designed to assess
whether P4Q programs in such settings appear to improve quality on the
measures that are the focus of the programs and also whether the
programs lead to unintended consequences. the P4Q evaluation will also
seek to identify design and implementation practices that are likely to
increase as well as decrease the risks of negative outcomes resulting
from the implementation of P4Q programs in safety net settings.
Data collection in the P4Q evaluation will be approved by the
Boston University's Medical Campus Institutional Review Board. It will
be conducted in accordance with the Health Insurance Protection and
Portability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule and with the Protection of Human
Subjects regulations, 45 CFR part 46. In addition, the identifiable
data collected in this study about provider organizations and
individuals will only be used for the above-stated purposes and will be
protected in accordance with the AHRQ confidentiality statute, section
934(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)).

Methods of Collection

The evaluation will use several methods to examine P4Q programs in
safety net settings, including a survey and key informant interviews.
Survey data will be obtained from physicians participating in P4Q
programs using a confidential mailed questionnaire. The key informant
interviews will consist of 35-minute semi-structured interviews with
physician organization executives, practice leaders, physicians, and
other senior managers in each study setting regarding program design,
implementation, and impact. The research project investigators will
interview up to six informants at each site.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

The table below indicates that total time burden required to obtain
all of the data required to meet the study's objectives. It does not
include time required to analyze the data and prepare it for reporting
and publication.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Estimated time Estimated Estimated
Type of respondent Number of responses per per respondent total burden annual cost to
respondents respondent (hours) (hours) the government
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Physicians................... 216 1 0.25 hours (15 54 $5,322.12 to
minutes). cover costs of
responding to
survey.
Practice executives and other 24 1 0.58 hours (35 14 $841.35 to
senior managers. minutes). cover costs of
participating
in in-person
interviews.
--------------------------------
Total.................... .............. .............. ................ 68 $6,163.47
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated Costs to the Federal Government

The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to
be $193,941. This funding will be used to support survey administration
costs, salary and fringe benefits for the research team relating to the
design and administration of the survey and informant interviews, and
costs for two members of the research team to travel to each site for
the informant interviews. The project will attempt to minimize burden
to physician survey respondents by distributing surveys at medical
staff meetings.

Request for Comments

In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act
legislation, comments on AHRQ's information collection are requested
with regard to any of the following: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
AHRQ health care research and health care information dissemination
functions, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours
and costs) of the proposed collection(s) 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 Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the
proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of
public record.

Dated: October 10, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-8831 Filed 10-23-06; 8:45am]

BILLING CODE 4160-90-M