Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects, the Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed

projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other

forms of information technology.

Proposed Project

A Study of Physicians' Educational Preparation for Practice in

Managed Care--(0915-0202)--Reinstatement--OMB approval was obtained in

1995 to conduct two mail surveys, one of primary care physicians and

one of medical directors in managed care organizations (MCOs). The

purpose of both is to assess their views of the adequacy of physician

preparation for practice in a managed care setting. Data collection

began in June 1996. Early responses indicated that a high proportion of

the sampled physicians were not eligible for the survey, which was

targeted to primary care physicians in group and staff model MCOs.

Methods for increasing the proportion of eligibles to an acceptable

rate are being explored, including the possibility of conducting brief

screening phone calls to determine eligibility prior to mailing the

questionnaires. Once a methodology has been selected and OMB approval

is reinstated, data collection will resume. Few, if any, substantive

changes to the questionnaire are expected. Note that the survey of

medical directors had acceptable eligibility rates, and data collection

is proceeding.

The survey of physicians will be limited to allopathic primary care

physicians who graduated between 1986 and 1990. The information will be

used by the Bureau of Health Professions to formulate recommendations

for curriculum changes in medical

[[Page 58072]]

education. Automated collection techniques will not be used for either

the mail survey or the brief screening phone call. Burden estimates are

as follows:

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Number of

Number of responses Avg. burden/ Total hours

respondents per response of burden

respondent (hours)

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Screening calls............................................. \1\400 1 0.25 100

Mail survey of physicians................................... 2000 1 0.25 500

Total................................................. 2400 1 0.25 600

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\1\ We estimate that it will require 400 phone calls to managed care organizations to obtain eligibility

information on the sample of physicians. This is based on the total number of group and staff model MCOs

(roughly 200) and an estimate of the average number of calls to an organization that will be needed to obtain

eligibility information on all sampled physicians from that organization (2 calls per MCO).

Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: November 5, 1996.

J. Henry Montes,

Associate Administrator for Policy Coordination. #

[FR Doc. 96-28934 Filed 11-8-96; 8:45 am]

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