SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement of ( printed page 53310) previously approved information collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses; and

5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (OMB Control No. 0920-0666, Exp. 12/31/2023)—Revision—National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infection Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects data from healthcare facilities in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (OMB Control Number 0920-0666). NHSN provides facilities, states, regions, and the nation with data necessary to identify problem areas, measure the progress of prevention efforts, and ultimately eliminate healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) nationwide. NHSN allows healthcare facilities to track blood safety errors and various healthcare-associated infection prevention practice methods such as healthcare personnel influenza vaccine status and corresponding infection control adherence rates.

NHSN currently has six components: Patient Safety (PS), Healthcare Personnel Safety (HPS), Biovigilance (BV), Long-Term Care Facility (LTCF), Outpatient Procedure (OPC), and the Dialysis Component. NHSN's planned Neonatal Component is expected to launch during the winter of 2021, and will focus on premature neonates and the healthcare-associated events that occur as a result of their prematurity. This component will be released with one module, which includes Late Onset-Sepsis (LOS) and Meningitis. LOS and Meningitis are common complications of extreme prematurity. These infections result in a prolongation of hospital stay, increased cost, and risk of morbidity and mortality. The data for this module will be electronically submitted, allowing more hospital personnel to be available to care for patients and reducing annual burden across healthcare facilities. Additionally, LOS data will be utilized for prevention initiatives.

Data reported under the Patient Safety Component are used to determine the magnitude of the healthcare-associated adverse events and trends in the rates of events, in the distribution of pathogens, and in the adherence to prevention practices. Data will help detect changes in the epidemiology of adverse events resulting from new medical therapies and changing patient risks. Additionally, reported data is being used to describe the epidemiology of antimicrobial use and resistance, and to better understand the relationship of antimicrobial therapy to this rising problem.

Under the Healthcare Personnel Safety Component (HPS), protocols and data on events—both positive and adverse—are used to determine; (1) the magnitude of adverse events in healthcare personnel, and (2) compliance with immunization and sharps injuries safety guidelines.

The Biovigilance (BV) Component collects data on adverse reactions and incidents associated with blood transfusions. Data is reported and analyzed to provide national estimates of adverse reactions and incidents.

Under the Long-Term Care Facility (LTCF) Component, data is captured from skilled nursing facilities. Reporting methods under the LTCF component have been created by using forms from the PS Component as a model with modifications to specifically address the specific characteristics of LTCF residents and the unique data needs of these facilities reporting into NHSN. The Respiratory Tract Infection Form (RTI), titled “Denominators for Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs): Respiratory Tract Infections,” will not to be used by NHSN users, but rather as part of an EIP project with 4 EIP sites. The purpose of this form is to allow testing prior to introducing a new module and forms to NHSN users. The CDC's Epidemiology Research & Innovations Branch (ERIB) team will use the form to perform field testing of variables to explore the utilization, applicability, and data collection burden associated with these variables. This process will inform areas of improvement prior to incorporating the new module, including protocol, forms, and instructions into NHSN.

The Dialysis Component offers a simplified user interface for dialysis users to streamline their data entry and analyses processes, as well as provide options for expanding in the future to include dialysis surveillance in settings other than outpatient facilities.

The Outpatient Procedure Component (OPC) gathers data on the impact of infections and outcomes related to operative procedures performed in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs). The OPC is used to monitor two event types: Same Day Outcome Measures and Surgical Site Infections (SSIs).

NHSN has increasingly served as the operating system for HAI reporting compliance through legislation established by the states. As of April 2020, 36 states, the District of Columbia and the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have opted to use NHSN as their primary system for mandated reporting. Reporting compliance is completed by healthcare facilities in their respective jurisdictions, with emphasis on those states and municipalities acquiring varying consequences for failure to use NHSN. Additionally, healthcare facilities in five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) are voluntarily reporting to NHSN. Additional territories are projected to follow with similar use of NHSN for reporting purposes.

NHSN's data is used to aid in the tracking of HAIs and guide infection prevention activities/practices that protect patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)and other payers use these data to determine incentives for performance at healthcare facilities across the U.S. and surrounding territories, and members of the public may use some protected data to inform their selection among available providers. Each of these parties is dependent on the completeness and accuracy of the data. CDC and CMS work closely and are fully committed to ensuring complete and accurate reporting, which are critical for protecting patients and guiding national, state, and local prevention priorities. CMS collects some HAI data and healthcare personnel influenza vaccination summary data, ( printed page 53311) which is done on a voluntary basis as part of its Fee-for-Service Medicare quality reporting programs, while others may report data required by a federal mandate. Facilities that fail to report quality measure data are subject to partial payment reduction in the applicable Medicare Fee-for-Service payment system. CMS links their quality reporting to payment for Medicare-eligible acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term acute care facilities, oncology hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities, dialysis facilities, and ambulatory surgery centers. Facilities report HAI data and healthcare personnel influenza vaccination summary data to CMS via NHSN as part of CMS's quality reporting programs to receive full payment.

Still, many healthcare facilities, even in states without HAI reporting legislation, submit limited HAI data to NHSN voluntarily. NHSN's data collection updates continue to support the incentive programs managed by CMS. For example, survey questions support requirements for CMS' quality reporting programs. Additionally, CDC has collaborated with CMS on a voluntary National Nursing Home Quality Collaborative, which focuses on recruiting nursing homes to report HAI data to NHSN and to retain their continued participation.

NHSN was previously approved in December 2020 for 1,321,991 burden hours. The proposed changes in this new ICR include revisions to 10 data collection forms and no new forms for a total of 86 proposed data collection forms. In this Revision, CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 1,718,591 annual burden hours.

86 FR 53309