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 requirements for opportunity for public

comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c) (2)(A) of

Title 44, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995, Public Law 104-13), 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 or to obtain a copy of the data

collection plans and draft 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: National Practitioner Data Bank for Adverse

Information on Physicians and Other Health Care Practitioners:

Regulations and Forms, OMB No. 0915-0126: Extension

The National Practitioner Data Bank (Data Bank) was established

through Title IV of Pub. L. 99-660, the Health Care Quality Improvement

Act of 1986, as amended. Final Regulations governing the Data Bank are

codified at 45 CFR Part 60. Responsibility for Data Bank implementation

and operation resides in the Bureau of Health Professions, Health

Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (DHHS). The Data Bank began operation on September 1,

1990.

The intent of Title IV of Pub. L. 99-660 is to improve the quality

of health care by encouraging hospitals, State licensing boards,

professional societies, and other entities providing health care

services, to identify and discipline those who engage in unprofessional

behavior;

[[Page 53681]]

and to restrict the ability of incompetent physicians, dentists, and

other health care practitioners to move from State to State without

disclosure of the practitioners' previous damaging or incompetent

performance.

The Data Bank acts primarily as a flagging system; its principal

purpose is to facilitate comprehensive review of practitioners'

professional credentials and background. Information on medical

malpractice payments, adverse licensure actions, adverse clinical

privileging actions, and adverse professional society actions is

collected from, and disseminated to eligible entities. It is intended

that Data Bank information should be considered with other relevant

information in evaluating a practitioner's credentials.

This request is for an extension of reporting and querying forms

previously approved in February 1996. The reporting forms and the

request for information forms (query forms) may be accessed, completed,

and submitted to the Data Bank electronically through the use of a

program designated QPRAC 4 which is provided by the DHHS. The DHHS has

developed a separate query form for practitioners making self-queries.

This request also includes several administrative forms which have been

developed since the last clearance.

The following estimates of burden are based on actual Data Bank

operational experience:

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Number of Responses per Hours per Total burden

Type of Activity--45 CFR 60.0 respondents respondent response hours

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Reporting:

Reports Correcting Errors and

Omissions--60.6(a)................ 1,600 1.06 . 25 424

Reports of Revision to Actions

Previously Reported--60.6(b)...... 390 1.04 .75 304

Report of Medical Malpractice

Payments--60.7(b)................. 525 27.3285 .75 14,347

Reports of Adverse Actions by State

Medical and Dental Boards--60.8(b) 125 32.56 .75 3,053

Reports of Adverse Action Regarding

Clinical Privileges and

Professional Society Memberships--

60.9(a)........................... 3975 1.03 .75 753

Entity Hearings:

Requests for Hearing by Entities--

60.9(c)........................... \1\ 1 1 8.0 8

Requests for Information Disclosure

(Query):

Queries by Hospitals for

Practitioner Applications--

60.10(a)(1)....................... 6,000 40 \4\ .083 19,920

Queries by Hospitals--Two Year

Cycle--60.10(a)(2)................ 6,000 160 .083 79,680

Queries by Hospitals--Peer Review--

60.11(a)(1)....................... \2\

Queries by Practitioners (Self-

Query)--60.11(a)(2)............... 60,000 1 .50 30,000

Queries by Licensure Boards--

60.11(a)(3)....................... 125 120 .083 1,245

Queries by Non-Hospital Health Care

Entities--60.11(a)(4)............. 3,250 690 .083 186,128

Queries by Plaintiff's Attorneys--

60.11(a)(5)....................... (\3\) 1 1 .30 .5

Queries by Non-Hospital Health Care

Entities--Peer Review--60.11(a)(6) (\3\)

Requests by Researchers for

Aggregate Information--60.11(a)(7) 100 1 .50 50

Disputes:

Practitioner Places a Dispute in

His/Her Data Bank Report--60.14(b) 1,200 1 .5 600

Practitioner Places a Statement in

His/Her Data Bank Report--60.14(b) 1,350 1 1.0 1,350

Practitioner Requests Review of the

Disputed Report by The Secretary

DHHS--60.14(b).................... 135 1 8.0 1,080

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ADMINISTRATIVE FORMS USED IN OPERATING THE NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK

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Entity Registration Form............... 150 1 1.0 150

Entity Registration Update Form........ 100 1 .25 25

Authorized Agent Designation Form...... 25 1 .25 6.25

Authorized Agent Designation Update.... 5 1 .083 .42

Account Discrepancy Report............. 200 1 .25 50

Electronic Transfer of Funds

Authorization......................... 25 1 .25 6.25

Entity Reactivation.................... 50 1 .25 12.5

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Total............................ .............. ................. ................. 339,193

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\1\ There have been no hearing requests from reporting entities since the opening of the Data Bank.

\2\ We are unable to distinguish between these and other types of queries made by hospitals and other health

care entities.

\3\ There have been approximately 12 attorney requests since the opening of the Data Bank; of these, one has

been granted.

\4\ 5 minutes.

Send comments to Susan Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance

Officer, Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville,

Maryland 20857, (301) 443-1129; Written comments should be received

within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: September 30, 1998.

Jane Harrison,

Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.

[FR Doc. 98-26738 Filed 10-5-98; 8:45 am]

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