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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

NOTICE: NOTICES

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 14, 2008.

DOCUMENT 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) approve the proposed information collection project: ``Evaluation of the Effectiveness of AHRQ's GrantSupported Research on Healthcare Costs, Productivity, and Market Forces.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on December 28th, 2007 and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.

SUMMARY: Reader Aids; ; Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Proposed Project: ``Evaluation of the Effectiveness of AHRQ's Grant Supported Research on Healthcare Costs, Productivity, and Market Forces''

The proposed information collection will support AHRQ's efforts to systematically review the effectiveness of its grantsupported research on healthcare costs, productivity, and market forces since the late 1990s. In the first phase of its ongoing evaluation, AHRQ determined it had funded 149 grants in the area of cost, productivity, organization and market forces since the late 1990s (Krissik, Lake and Gold, 2007). Prior to this proposed information collection, no evaluation of these grants and their effects has been conducted. Collecting such information through a survey of the 149 grantees will assist AHRQ in its mission of supporting the synthesis and dissemination of available scientific evidence for use by patients, consumers, practitioners, providers, purchasers, policymakers, and educators. The survey will provide information on grant activities that is not currently available, including updatetodate information on grantee
dissemination
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activities and feedback on AHRQ's role in supporting research and dissemination.

A survey of the universe of grantees who were funded to carry out the abovedescribed health services research work offers a rational and scientific approach to collecting data on the impact of AHRQ's research in this area that is otherwise not currently available. The survey will be an integral part of AHRQ's overall evaluation, which attempts to describe the research and the pathways through which research findings that it has supported are disseminated and used. The survey interviews principal investigators about their grant research projects and will capture data that systematically track grant outcomes, providing information on: (1) The main substantive findings from the work and the ways they have been communicated; (2) known impacts of the work to date; (3) linkage of work to other research in the field; (4) grantee ratings of the support that AHRQ provided before, during, and after award and how AHRQ services for grantees could be improved; and, (5) grantee perceptions of AHRQ's role in research funding in this area and how sponsor interest influences the topics that are addressed. Method of Collection

A webbased questionnaire will be used to conduct the survey with AHRQ grantees. A selfadministered mode was selected for this survey because respondents may need to look up information in order to answer some questions. A selfadministered mode allows respondents to complete the survey at their own pace and schedule. If requested, a hardcopy of the questionnaire will be mailed to the respondent.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden Number of Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden respondents respondent response hours AHRQ Grantee Survey............................. 149 1 2 298

Total....................................... 149 na na 298 Estimated Annualized Respondent Cost Burden Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost Form name respondents hours wage rate burden AHRQ Grantee Survey............................. 149 298 $42.98 $12,808

Total....................................... 149 298 na 12,808 * Based upon the mean of the average wages for teachers (college and university), National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States 2005, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government

The proposed information collection is part of a larger evaluation of the effectiveness of AHRQ's grantsupported research on healthcare costs, productivity, and market forces, which includes a systematic review of the research that AHRQ has funded, indepth interviews with grantees and grant document review, case studies to assess the effects and dissemination pathways of market forces research, and preparation of reports and briefings. The cost to conduct the survey of identified grantees is $38,962.

Request for Comments

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

Dated: March 5, 2008.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. E84935 Filed 31308; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416090M

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 4271477 or by email at
doris.1efkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov.