Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Outcome Measures

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 October 11, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to paperwork@hrsa.gov or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, 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 paperwork@hrsa.gov or call the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

Information Collection Request Title: Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Outcome Measures.

OMB No.: 0915-0311—Revision.

Abstract: In order to help carry out its mission, the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) created a set of performance measures that grantees can use to evaluate the effectiveness of their services programs and monitor their progress through the use of performance reporting data.

Need and Proposed Use of the Information: As required by the Government Performance and Review Act of 1993 (GPRA), all federal agencies must develop strategic plans describing their overall goal and objectives. The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) worked with its grantees to develop performance measures that are used to evaluate and monitor the progress of the grantees. Grantee goals are to: Improve access to needed services; reduce rural practitioner isolation; improve health system productivity and efficiency; and improve patient outcomes. In each of these categories, specific indicators were designed to be reported through a performance monitoring Web site. New measures are being added to the Telehealth Network Grant Program and all measures speak to OAT's progress toward meeting the goals.

Likely Respondents: Telehealth Network Grantees.

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.

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.