Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

AGENCY:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice with comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled Validated Follow-up Interview of Clinicians on Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions. This collection aims to perform an interview of outpatient clinicians regarding the acceptability and perceived clinician-level barriers associated with our year-long implementation of interventions designed around the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship.

DATES:

CDC must receive written comments on or before May 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC–2023–0021 by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

• Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS H21–8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments to www.regulations.gov.

Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking portal ( www.regulations.gov ) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS H21–8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404–639–7570; Email: omb@cdc.gov.

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 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

Validated Interview and Survey of Outpatient Providers on Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions (OMB Control No. 0920–1308)—Reinstatement—National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Disease (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is a major driver of antibiotic resistance which is an urgent national and global health threat. Additionally, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing contributes to avoidable adverse drug events that cause substantial harms to patients. Most antibiotic prescribing originates in traditional outpatient settings such as physician offices and emergency departments, and at least 30% of these prescriptions are completely unnecessary.

Over the past decade there has been rapid growth in non-traditional outpatient settings including Urgent Care clinics. Recent evidence shows that when compared to traditional office settings, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is substantially higher in Urgent Care clinics making this an important priority for antibiotic stewardship. The design, development, and evaluation of durable stewardship interventions addressing the unique setting of Urgent Care clinics is an important area of unmet need. This data collection will assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic prescribing among clinicians after implementation of a year-long Urgent Care stewardship initiative.

CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 62 annualized burden hours. There is no cost to respondents other than their time to participate.