Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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Federal RegisterMay 18, 2007
72 Fed. Reg. 28059 (May. 18, 2007)

Periodically, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) publishes abstracts of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of the clearance requests submitted to OMB for review, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Office on (301) 443-1129.

The following request has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995:

Proposed Project: OAT Telehealth Outcome Measures: NEW.

In order to help carry out its mission, the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) created a set of performance measures that grantees can use to evaluate the effectiveness of their services programs and monitor their progress through the use of performance reporting data.

As required by the Government Performance and Review Act of 1993 (GPRA), all Federal agencies must develop strategic plans describing their overall goal and objectives. The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT) has worked with its grantees to develop performance measures to be used to evaluate and monitor the progress of the grantees. Grantee goals are to: Improve access to needed services, reduce rural practitioner isolation, improve health system productivity and efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. In each of these categories, specific indicators were designed to be reported through a performance monitoring Web site.

The Program Assessment Response Tool (PART) is the newest instrument created for use by Federal agencies. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) uses the PART to assess Federal programs. The PART is a series of diagnostic questions used to assess and evaluate programs across a set of performance-related criteria including program design and purpose, strategic planning, program management, and results. PART results are used to inform the budget process and improve program management. OAT's Telehealth Network Grant Program has been undergoing a PART assessment this year. Thus, in addition to responding to the GPRA initiative, OAT now has the added responsibility of responding to the PART assessment of its Telehealth Network Grant Program. The proposed performance measures will provide performance data that will address the PART assessment, monitor progress, and evaluate program effectiveness.

The estimates of burden are as follows:

Form Number of respondents Responses per respondent Total responses Hour burden Total burden hours
Performance Measurement Tool 667 2 1,334 7 9,338

Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to: Karen Matsuoka, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: May 11, 2007.

Caroline Lewis,

Associate Administrator for Management.

[FR Doc. E7-9536 Filed 5-17-07; 8:45 am]

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