0955-0003_ MEMO_HITRC Training Focus Groups 032113 1 of 2

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery” (OMB Control Number: OMB control # 0955-0003)

T ITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: HITRC Training Focus Groups

PURPOSE:

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is the principal Federal entity responsible for coordinating the effort to implement a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the use and exchange of health information in electronic format. Implementation is supported through Regional Extension Centers (RECs) who assist health care providers in adopting electronic health records (EHRs) and achieving meaningful use to support improvement of health care quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness. ONC also developed the Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC) to support the work of the RECs by providing technical assistance and developing or recognizing best practices to support and accelerate efforts to adopt, implement, and effectively utilize health IT. The HITRC is supported by contracts undertaken by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), who manages the HITRC in collaboration with ONC.

In support of ONC’s goals, HITRC provides REC staff with self-paced trainings through the online learning management system, the HITRC Learning Center. Further instructor-led offerings (e.g. Boot Camps, Regional Meetings), virtual classroom sessions, and informational webinars, are conducted throughout the year to supplement the self-paced courses.

With this project, ONC is collecting qualitative feedback on the impact of HITRC training on REC staff’s ability to perform on the job.

To accomplish this goal, ONC will conduct focus groups of REC staff who have already received training delivered by the HITRC Training Team (see Attachment A). ONC will invite participants using email invitations (also included in Attachment A). Participation is entirely voluntary and all responses will be kept confidential.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

Focus group participants will be a sample of REC staff that assist health care providers with adopting and implementing EHRs, and attaining meaningful use of EHRs to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care delivery. The opportunity to participate in focus groups will be offered to REC staff that have and have not previously participated in training provided through the HITRC.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check all that apply)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other:

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Michael Yesenko

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No
   
   

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [X] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants?

[ ] Yes [X] No

BURDEN HOURS

We expect the focus groups to involve no more than 150 respondents and will take about 45 minutes to complete. The total burden for this data collection is estimated to be 112.5 hours.

HITRC Training Focus Groups

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden Hours
REC Staff	150	45 minutes	112.5
Totals	150	45 minutes	112.5

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $13,500.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [X] No
   
   

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

A participant list of REC staff who will participate in HITRC training will be obtained as part of voluntary course registration. A focus group moderator from the HITRC Training Team will deliver email communications to these staff, asking for voluntary participation.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based

[X] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ X] No

List of Attachments

Attachment A – HITRC Training Focus Group Protocol

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