Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.
Notice.
This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: “Evaluation of Phase I Demonstrations of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance.” In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.
Comments on this notice must be received by April 13, 2009.
Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by e-mail at
Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.
Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 427–1477, or by e-mail at
AHRQ proposes to conduct an independent evaluation of five Phase I demonstrations undertaken by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA). The PQA launched the five demonstration projects to test the feasibility of implementing a pharmacy provider report card system, which will be used to provide feedback to pharmacies on their performance. The goals of the demonstrations are to obtain feedback from pharmacists on the credibility of the performance reports and their utility in performance improvement, and to identify the most efficient and useful ways to implement a performance-based quality reporting system. The evaluation will be conducted for AHRQ by its contractor, the CNA Corporation and Thomas Jefferson Medical College.
• Test the feasibility and utility of (1) using 15 PQA claims-based measures on pharmacy performance and (2) a survey of consumers about their experience with pharmacy services, which was developed by the PQA;
• Determine the resource (time and cost) requirements for collecting the data and generating the pharmacy performance reports; and
• Provide a base of knowledge that enables the PQA to improve the implementation process, increase operational efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance the utility and validity of the performance measures.
This project is being conducted pursuant to AHRQ's statutory authority to conduct and support research and evaluations on health care and on systems for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to (1) the quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness and value of health care services and (2) quality measurement and improvement. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1) and (2).
• Organizational background related to quality measurement, organizational resources for quality measurement;
• Measurement methodology;
• Opinions on the performance measures;
• The process for disseminating the performance measures;
• Incentives and penalties for participation in pharmacy quality improvement;
• Usability of the performance reports;
• Future directions for quality measurement in the organization; and
• Respondent characteristics.
In addition to the on-site interview, a brief written questionnaire will be used to collect information from interview participants prior to the interview. There will be two different versions of this questionnaire, one for the demonstration project leaders and one for all on-site interview participants.
A pharmacy staff survey will be developed to yield additional quantitative data about the demonstration projects. The sample will consist of practicing pharmacists who are participating in the demonstration sites and who received one or more of the performance reports. It will also include field managers and supervisors.
Exhibit 1 show the estimated annualized burden hours for the respondents' time to participate in this evaluation. The on-site interviews will require about 1 hour to complete for a total of 30 burden hours. The pre-interview questionnaire is expected to take 15 minutes to complete for a total of 9 burden hours. The phannacy staff survey will take about 30 minutes to complete for a total of 188 burden hours. The total burden hours for all data collections is estimated to be 227 hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden associated with the respondents' time to participate in this project. The cost burden is estimated to be $10,800.
The estimated total cost to the Federal government for this one year evaluation is $208,874. Exhibit 3 shows a breakdown of the costs.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record.