Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed collection for public comment.

DATES:

Comments on the ICR must be received on or before November 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to Sherrette.Funn@hhs.gov or by calling (202) 795-7714.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the document identifier 0990-New-60D, and project title for reference, to Sherrette Funn, the Reports Clearance Officer, Sherrette.Funn@hhs.gov, or call 202-795-7714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (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.

Title of the Collection: HHS Teletracking COVID-19 Portal (U.S. Healthcare COVID-19 Portal).

Type of Collection: In use without an OMB number.

OMB No.: 0990-XXXX OS/OCIO.

Abstract: The data collected through this ICR informs the Federal Government's understanding of disease patterns and furthers the development of policies for prevention and control of disease spread and impact related to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). One of the most important uses of the data collected through this ICR is to determine critical allocations of limited supplies (e.g., protective equipment and medication). For instance, this collection has been used to distribute Remdesivir, a vital therapeutic that HHS distributes to the American healthcare system, via distinct data calls on regular intervals. As of July 10, HHS reduced the number requests for data from hospitals to support allocations of Remdesivir. HHS has stopped sending out one-time requests for data to aid in the distribution of Remdesivir or any other treatments or supplies. This consolidated daily reporting is the only mechanism used for the distribution calculations, and daily reports are needed to ensure accurate calculations.

Type of Respondent: We acknowledge the burden placed on many hospitals, including resource constraints, and have allowed for some flexibilities, such as back-submissions or submitting every business days, with the understanding that respondents may not have sufficient staff working over the weekend. It is our belief that collection of this information daily is the most effective way to detect outbreaks and needs for Federal assistance over time, by hospital and geographical area, and to alert the appropriate officials for action. It's requested that 5,500 hospitals, submit data daily on the number of patients tested for COVID-19, as well as information on bed capacity and requirements for other supplies.

The HHS Teletracking COVID-19 Portal (U.S. Healthcare COVID-19 Portal) includes some data that were initially submitted by hospitals to HHS through CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) COVID-19 Module (OMB Control No. 0920-1290, approved 03/26/2020). Over the last several months time, the guidance for which data elements should be sent to HHS and through which method was updated at the request of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and other leaders to better inform the response.