83 FR 7040 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 33 (February 16, 2018)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 33 (February 16, 2018)
| Page Range | 7040-7042 | |
| FR Document | 2018-03243 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 7040-7042] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-03243] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, HHS. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Through this Request for Information (RFI), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking information from the public, hospitals and other health care organizations, clinicians, quality improvement experts, researchers, and quality measure developers about current use of the AHRQ Quality Indicators (AHRQ QIs) for quality improvement efforts. AHRQ recognizes that the AHRQ QIs have been adopted for other uses, but for the purpose of this RFI, the Agency is specifically seeking information about quality improvement initiatives such as those that seek to: Improve clinical practice (e.g., adherence to guidelines, coordination of care); improve patient safety or reduce harm; address disparities in health or care; improve prevention practices; and collaborate with community groups to improve health or care. AHRQ is also seeking information about the ways in which the Agency can increase use of the AHRQ QI measures for quality improvement, for example by refining measures, summarizing best practices, creating training materials, developing standardized metrics, and/or convening learning networks. To learn more about the AHRQ QIs, visit https://www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by the deadline on or before March 8, 2018. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Maushami DeSoto, Ph.D., MHA, Health Scientist Administrator, Center for Delivery Organization and Markets, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or by email at [email protected]. [[Page 7041]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maushami DeSoto, Ph.D. MHA, Health Scientist Administrator, (301) 427-1546, or by emails at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of AHRQ is to produce evidence to make health care safer; higher quality; and more accessible, equitable, and affordable. AHRQ works within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with other public and private partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used. The Agency fulfills this mission by supporting and conducting research; generating needed evidence; disseminating proven practices; creating and distributing training materials for health care systems and professionals; and developing measures and data used to track and improve performance. To learn more about the Agency, visit https://www.ahrq.gov/. Background Over the years, use of the AHRQ QIs has evolved. Originally developed to support quality improvement at the hospital and community levels, the AHRQ QIs now serve several additional purposes including: (1) Research; (2) needs assessments for planning at the local, state, and national levels; and (3) performance assessment by private and public value-based payment and consumer choice programs. In the current context, in which the purposes and methods of measurement continue to change rapidly, AHRQ is seeking updated information to inform its own planning and priority setting for future work in the area of measures for quality improvement. To do so, AHRQ must define evidence criteria that are specific to quality improvement and use those criteria to determine which AHRQ QIs work best for quality improvement and how they can be improved for that purpose. As part of this effort, AHRQ is conducting a literature review and environmental scan to: (1) Document knowledge and evidence on the scientific acceptability of the AHRQ QIs for quality improvement; (2) document and synthesize information about the strengths and limitations of the AHRQ QIs; (3) identify areas of disagreement, if any, in the evidence; and (4) develop suggestions for refinement or improvement in the indicators, particularly those that make the AHRQ QIs more useful for quality improvement. As part of the environmental scan, AHRQ is issuing this RFI to obtain information from stakeholders who have not published their experiences using the AHRQ QIs or who wish to provide additional information beyond what they have published. AHRQ will review results from the literature review and environmental scan and release a summary report in December 2018. Specific questions of interest to the Agency include, but are not limited to: For Hospitals or Other Health Care Entities That CURRENTLY USE AHRQ QIs for Quality Improvement: 1. What type of organization do you represent? 2. How does your organization define quality improvement? 3. How does your organization use the AHRQ QIs for quality improvement? For example, do you use them for identifying patient safety problems, identifying quality improvement opportunities, and/or tracking performance over time? 4. Which specific AHRQ QIs does your organization use for quality improvement? Please include the number of each QI, for example, PQI 05, which can be found at the AHRQ QI website. 5. Have you stopped using an AHRQ QI for quality improvement? If yes, please identify it and explain why you stopped. 6. Of the AHRQ QIs you use now or used previously, which ones have been most valuable in improving quality? a. What are the strengths of each measure you have used? b. What are the weaknesses of each measure you have used? 7. What other methodological and/or data quality issues have you encountered when using AHRQ QIs for quality improvement that you haven't already mentioned? 8. Does your organization use measures other than the AHRQ QIs for quality improvement? If yes, which ones and what types of quality improvement initiatives does your organization use them for? How do they compare to the AHRQ QIs in terms of ease of use and impact on quality? 9. What changes and refinements to the AHRQ QIs would make them easier to use for quality improvement? 10. What changes and refinements to the AHRQ QIs would make them more effective for improving quality? 11. What resources would aid the uptake of the AHRQ QIs for quality improvement? 12. What improvements are needed to current AHRQ QI resources? These include resources available through the QI website such as tool kits, case studies, webinars, presentations, publication lists, video tutorials (WinQI and SASQI), measure technical specifications (IQI, PQI, PSI, PDI), TA support, FAQs, and software. 13. If you operate a community health center, which AHRQ QIs do you use for quality improvement in the community health center? Which other measures do you use for quality improvement in the community health center? 14. If you operate a hospital emergency department (ED), which AHRQ QIs do you use for quality improvement in the ED? Which other measures do you use for quality improvement in the ED? For Hospitals or Other Health Care Entities That Are NOT CURRENTLY USING Any AHRQ QIs for Quality Improvement: 15. How does your organization define quality improvement? 16. What types of quality improvement initiatives does your organization engage in? 17. Have you heard of the AHRQ QIs? If yes, what do you know about them? 18. What factors contribute to your organization's decision to not use the AHRQ QIs? 19. Has your organization used the AHRQ QIs in the past? If so, why is your organization no longer using them? 20. What measures does your organization use for quality improvement? What are some of the reasons/factors your organization uses these measures? 21. If you operate a community health center, which measures do you use for quality improvement? 22. If you operate a hospital emergency department (ED), which measures do you use for quality improvement? 23. If your organization is a community health center, which metrics do you use for quality improvement? 24. If your organization is an ED which metrics do you use for quality improvement and monitoring? AHRQ is interested in all the questions listed above, but respondents are welcome to address as many or as few as they choose and to address additional areas of interest not listed. AHRQ will use the information it receives to assist in developing future initiatives. These initiatives may include, but are not limited to, developing research grant and contracting opportunities, investing in the creation of tools and training materials for health professionals and health care delivery organizations, developing quality improvement measures, and/or convening learning collaboratives. [[Page 7042]] Health care professionals and organizations are encouraged to respond to this RFI by submitting a written statement and supporting explanatory materials to the email or mailing address listed above by February 28, 2018. Supporting materials might include charters for quality and safety improvement committees, data use agreements for learning collaboratives, population health metrics and reports, or guidelines for the use of evidence-based practices. When responding to questions listed above, please clearly indicate the number of the question that is being addressed. AHRQ encourages respondents to include a description of their health care delivery organization at the beginning of their response to provide context for the information they provide. Request for Comments This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a policy, solicitation for applications, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to provide support for any ideas identified in response to it. AHRQ will use the information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion and will not provide comments to any responder's submission. However, responses to the RFI may be reflected in future solicitation(s) or policies. The information provided will be analyzed and may appear in reports. Respondents will not be identified in any published reports. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). The contents of all submissions will be made available to the public upon request. Materials submitted must be publicly available or can be made public. Gopal Khanna, Director. [FR Doc. 2018-03243 Filed 2-15-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
![7040 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2018 / Notices
Request for Comment commercial or financial information can also be sent by email to wliberante@
You can file a comment online or on which * * * is privileged or omb.eop.gov.
paper. For the FTC to consider your confidential’’—as provided by Section
David C. Shonka,
comment, we must receive it on or 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and
FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2)— Acting General Counsel.
before March 19, 2018. Write ‘‘FPLA [FR Doc. 2018–03289 Filed 2–15–18; 8:45 am]
Rules, PRA Comment, P074200’’ on including in particular competitively
your comment. Your comment— sensitive information such as costs, BILLING CODE 6750–01–P
including your name and your state— sales statistics, inventories, formulas,
will be placed on the public record of patterns, devices, manufacturing
processes, or customer names. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
this proceeding, including, to the extent
Comments containing material for HUMAN SERVICES
practicable, on the public Commission
website, at http://www.ftc.gov/os/ which confidential treatment is
requested must be filed in paper form, Agency for Healthcare Research and
publiccomments.shtm. Quality
Postal mail addressed to the must be clearly labeled ‘‘Confidential,’’
Commission is subject to delay due to and must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c). Agency Information Collection
heightened security screening. As a In particular, the written request for Activities: Proposed Collection;
result, we encourage you to submit your confidential treatment that accompanies Comment Request
comments online, or to send them to the the comment must include the factual
Commission by courier or overnight and legal basis for the request, and must AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research
service. To make sure that the identify the specific portions of the and Quality, HHS.
Commission considers your online comment to be withheld from the public ACTION: Notice.
comment, you must file it at https:// record. See FTC Rule 4.9(c). Your
ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/ comment will be kept confidential only SUMMARY: Through this Request for
fplaregspra2, by following the if the General Counsel grants your Information (RFI), the Agency for
instructions on the web-based form. request in accordance with the law and Healthcare Research and Quality
When this Notice appears at http:// the public interest. Once your comment (AHRQ) is seeking information from the
www.regulations.gov/#!home, you also has been posted on the public FTC public, hospitals and other health care
may file a comment through that website—as legally required by FTC organizations, clinicians, quality
website. Rule 4.9(b)—we cannot redact or improvement experts, researchers, and
If you file your comment on paper, remove your comment from the FTC quality measure developers about
write ‘‘FPLA Rules, PRA Comment, website, unless you submit a current use of the AHRQ Quality
P074200’’ on your comment and on the confidentiality request that meets the Indicators (AHRQ QIs) for quality
envelope, and mail it to the following requirements for such treatment under improvement efforts. AHRQ recognizes
address: Federal Trade Commission, FTC Rule 4.9(c), and the General that the AHRQ QIs have been adopted
Office of the Secretary, 600 Counsel grants that request. for other uses, but for the purpose of
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC– The FTC Act and other laws that the this RFI, the Agency is specifically
5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 20580, Commission administers permit the seeking information about quality
or deliver your comment to the collection of public comments to improvement initiatives such as those
following address: Federal Trade consider and use in this proceeding as that seek to: Improve clinical practice
Commission, Office of the Secretary, appropriate. The Commission will (e.g., adherence to guidelines,
Constitution Center, 400 7th Street SW, consider all timely and responsive coordination of care); improve patient
5th Floor, Suite 5610 (Annex J), public comments that it receives on or safety or reduce harm; address
Washington, DC 20024. If possible, before March 19, 2018. For information disparities in health or care; improve
submit your paper comment to the on the Commission’s privacy policy, prevention practices; and collaborate
Commission by courier or overnight including routine uses permitted by the with community groups to improve
service. Privacy Act, see https://www.ftc.gov/ health or care. AHRQ is also seeking
Because your comment will be placed site-information/privacy-policy. For information about the ways in which
on the publicly accessible FTC website supporting documentation and other the Agency can increase use of the
at https://www.ftc.gov/, you are solely information underlying the PRA AHRQ QI measures for quality
responsible for making sure that your discussion in this Notice, see http:// improvement, for example by refining
comment does not include any sensitive www.reginfo.gov/public/jsp/PRA/ measures, summarizing best practices,
or confidential information. In praDashboard.jsp. creating training materials, developing
particular, your comment should not Comments on the information standardized metrics, and/or convening
include any sensitive personal collection requirements subject to learning networks. To learn more about
information, such as your or anyone review under the PRA should the AHRQ QIs, visit https://
else’s Social Security number; date of additionally be submitted to OMB. If www.qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/.
birth; driver’s license number or other sent by U.S. mail, they should be DATES: Comments on this notice must be
state identification number, or foreign addressed to Office of Information and received by the deadline on or before
country equivalent; passport number; Regulatory Affairs, Office of March 8, 2018.
financial account number; or credit or Management and Budget, Attention: ADDRESSES: Written comments should
debit card number. You are also solely Desk Officer for the Federal Trade be submitted to: Maushami DeSoto,
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
responsible for making sure that your Commission, New Executive Office Ph.D., MHA, Health Scientist
comment does not include any sensitive Building, Docket Library, Room 10102, Administrator, Center for Delivery
health information, such as medical 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC Organization and Markets, Agency for
records or other individually 20503. Comments sent to OMB by U.S. Healthcare Research and Quality, 5600
identifiable health information. In postal mail, however, are subject to Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or
addition, your comment should not delays due to heightened security by email at Maushami.Desoto@
include any ‘‘trade secret or any precautions. Thus, comments instead ahrq.hhs.gov.
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![7042 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2018 / Notices
Health care professionals and DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND including attachments, to https://
organizations are encouraged to respond HUMAN SERVICES www.regulations.gov will be posted to
to this RFI by submitting a written the docket unchanged. Because your
statement and supporting explanatory Food and Drug Administration comment will be made public, you are
materials to the email or mailing [Docket Nos. FDA–2015–E–3856; FDA– solely responsible for ensuring that your
address listed above by February 28, 2015–E–3857] comment does not include any
2018. Supporting materials might confidential information that you or a
include charters for quality and safety Determination of Regulatory Review third party may not wish to be posted,
improvement committees, data use Period for Purposes of Patent such as medical information, your or
Extension; MOVANTIK anyone else’s Social Security number, or
agreements for learning collaboratives,
confidential business information, such
population health metrics and reports, AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, as a manufacturing process. Please note
or guidelines for the use of evidence- HHS. that if you include your name, contact
based practices. When responding to ACTION: Notice. information, or other information that
questions listed above, please clearly identifies you in the body of your
indicate the number of the question that SUMMARY: The Food and Drug comments, that information will be
is being addressed. AHRQ encourages Administration (FDA or the Agency) has posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
respondents to include a description of determined the regulatory review period • If you want to submit a comment
their health care delivery organization at for MOVANTIK and is publishing this with confidential information that you
the beginning of their response to notice of that determination as required do not wish to be made available to the
provide context for the information they by law. FDA has made the public, submit the comment as a
provide. determination because of the written/paper submission and in the
submission of applications to the manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper
Request for Comments Director of the U.S. Patent and Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).
Trademark Office (USPTO), Department
This RFI is for planning purposes of Commerce, for the extension of a Written/Paper Submissions
only and should not be construed as a patent which claims that human drug Submit written/paper submissions as
policy, solicitation for applications, or product. follows:
as an obligation on the part of the • Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for
Government to provide support for any DATES: Anyone with knowledge that any
written/paper submissions): Dockets
ideas identified in response to it. AHRQ of the dates as published (in the
Management Staff (HFA–305), Food and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section) are
will use the information submitted in Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers
incorrect may submit either electronic
response to this RFI at its discretion and Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
or written comments and ask for a • For written/paper comments
will not provide comments to any
redetermination by April 17, 2018. See submitted to the Dockets Management
responder’s submission. However,
‘‘Petitions’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY Staff, FDA will post your comment, as
responses to the RFI may be reflected in INFORMATION section for more
future solicitation(s) or policies. The well as any attachments, except for
information. information submitted, marked and
information provided will be analyzed
and may appear in reports. Respondents ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified, as confidential, if submitted
will not be identified in any published as follows. Please note that late, as detailed in ‘‘Instructions.’’
reports. Respondents are advised that untimely filed comments will not be Instructions: All submissions received
considered. Electronic comments must must include the Docket Nos. FDA
the Government is under no obligation
be submitted on or before April 17, 2015–E–3856 and FDA 2015–E–3857 for
to acknowledge receipt of the
2018. The https://www.regulations.gov ‘‘Determination of Regulatory Review
information received or provide Period for Purposes of Patent Extension;
electronic filing system will accept
feedback to respondents with respect to comments until midnight Eastern Time MOVANTIK.’’ Received comments,
any information submitted. No at the end of April 17, 2018. Comments those filed in a timely manner (see
proprietary, classified, confidential, or received by mail/hand delivery/courier ADDRESSES), will be placed in the docket
sensitive information should be (for written/paper submissions) will be and, except for those submitted as
included in your response. The considered timely if they are ‘‘Confidential Submissions,’’ publicly
Government reserves the right to use postmarked or the delivery service viewable at https://www.regulations.gov
any non-proprietary technical acceptance receipt is on or before that or at the Dockets Management Staff
information in any resultant date. Furthermore, any interested between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
solicitation(s). The contents of all person may petition FDA for a through Friday.
submissions will be made available to determination regarding whether the • Confidential Submissions—To
the public upon request. Materials applicant for extension acted with due submit a comment with confidential
submitted must be publicly available or diligence during the regulatory review information that you do not wish to be
can be made public. period by August 15, 2018. See made publicly available, submit your
‘‘Petitions’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY comments only as a written/paper
Gopal Khanna, submission. You should submit two
INFORMATION section for more
Director. information. copies total. One copy will include the
[FR Doc. 2018–03243 Filed 2–15–18; 8:45 am] information you claim to be confidential
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Electronic Submissions with a heading or cover note that states
BILLING CODE 4160–90–P
Submit electronic comments in the ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
following way: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ The
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Agency will review this copy, including
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the the claimed confidential information, in
instructions for submitting comments. its consideration of comments. The
Comments submitted electronically, second copy, which will have the
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Document Created: 2018-02-16 00:55:47
Document Modified: 2018-02-16 00:55:47
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Comments on this notice must be received by the deadline on or before March 8, 2018. | |
| Contact | Maushami DeSoto, Ph.D. MHA, Health Scientist Administrator, (301) 427-1546, or by emails at [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 7040 |
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