UDS Survey Supporting Statement

Health Resources and Services Administration

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

UDS Reporting Modernization Customer Satisfaction Survey

A. Justification

1. Circumstances of Information Collection

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) currently has approval under the generic clearance, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 0915-0212, to conduct customer satisfaction surveys and focus groups. This collection of information helps fulfill the requirements of:

1. Executive Order 12862, “Setting Customer Service Standards,” which directs agencies to continually reform their management practices and operations to provide service to the public that matches or exceeds the best service available in the private sector.

This is a request for OMB approval of a voluntary customer satisfaction survey under HRSA’s generic clearance. HRSA will obtain feedback from respondents that have used the new data entry and reporting features of the modernized Uniform Data System (UDS). HRSA utilizes the Uniform Data System (UDS) for annual reporting by certain HRSA award recipients, including Health Center Program awardees (those funded under section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act), Health Center Program look-alikes, and Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Program awardees (specifically those funded under the practice priority areas of section 831(b) of the PHS Act). The UDS Modernization Initiative is working to reduce reporting burden; provide a more stable and reliable UDS reporting experience; improve UDS data ability to assess quality, operational, and financial outcomes; and provide more time for health centers to prepare to submit their annual data.

Executive Order 12862 directs agencies that "provide significant services directly to the public" to "survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services." The new UDS data entry and reporting features allow multiple health center staff members to enter data into either an Excel or a hypertext markup language (HTML) files simultaneously and then upload the data into HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) data system. HRSA built these new features in response to customer challenges with the EHBs and issues associated with only one staff member able to complete data entry at a time within the EHBs. The objective of obtaining feedback from respondents is to gauge their satisfaction with and recommendations to improve these new reporting features.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information

HRSA will use this information to gauge if new reporting features and early access to the UDS reporting environment have addressed UDS reporting challenges shared by Health Center Program awardees. The voluntary customer satisfaction survey contains specific questions about the functionality and ease of use of the new features. There are also open-ended questions for respondents to provide suggestions or specify features that they believe will improve UDS reporting.

Beginning with the 2018 UDS reporting period, January 1 to February 15, 2019, all health centers will be able to use an Excel file and offline HTML file to allow team-based data entry outside of the EHBs. Allowing multiple staff to report data simultaneously will reduce the overall burden and time of reporting. Gathering customer feedback and evaluating impact shortly after the use of these new features is an important opportunity for HRSA to receive feedback to drive further improvements. Software and technology companies commonly administer short user surveys after deploying a new service or initiating minor modifications to a website’s appearance or performance. HRSA is requesting permission to gain feedback in order to be responsive to the needs of Health Center Program awardees. Respondents for this voluntary customer satisfaction survey will include Health Center Program awardees and look-alikes required to complete the UDS report.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology

The proposed customer satisfaction survey will be administered online (e.g. Survey Monkey) and sent to respondents via email. This option represents the minimal burden to respondents and to HRSA. Respondents will view the invitations and survey link as part of regular, ongoing communications they receive from HRSA.

4. Efforts to Avoid Duplication

HRSA’s UDS is a unique data collection used to monitor health center performance. The UDS reporting features that have been developed are new and will be used by health centers for the beginning with 2018 UDS. The information collected by the customer satisfaction survey will be unique to the Health Center Program and is not captured in the same form and format elsewhere.

5. Involvement of Small Entities

This activity does not have a substantial impact on small entities or small businesses.

6. Consequences if Information Collected Less Frequently

UDS data are required annually in order to effectively monitor program performance and administer program funds. For look-alikes, UDS data are used to monitor program performance and for designation and recertification decisions. The customer satisfaction survey will help with modernizing the UDS reporting process. The results will help HRSA determine if the new reporting features are responding to customer’s needs.

7. Consistency With the Guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)

These surveys will be implemented in a manner fully consistent with 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. Consultation Outside the Agency

The notice required in 5 CFR 1320.8(d) was published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2017 (Vol. 82, No.217, pages 52308-52309). No public comments were received.

9. Remuneration of Respondents

Not applicable.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality

To date, HRSA customer satisfaction surveys have not collected personally identifiable information from respondents. The proposed survey will also not request or collect personally identifiable information. Participation will be voluntary, and responses will be anonymous. Respondents will be assured that neither their participation/non-participation nor any responses to items will have any effect on their participation in HRSA programs.

11. Questions of a Sensitive Nature

The proposed customer satisfaction survey does not contain any questions of a sensitive nature. The respondent’s social security number and their race and ethnicity will not be collected.

12. Estimates of Annualized Hour and Cost Burden

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:

Form name	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Burden Hours
UDS Reporting Modernization Customer Satisfaction Survey	1,469	1	1,469	0.083	122
Total	1,469		1,469		122

HRSA estimates the survey will take 5 minutes (0.083 hours) for the 1,469 respondents (i.e. all Health Center Program award recipients and look-alikes required to submit UDS data) for approximately 122 total burden hours.

Estimated Annualized Burden Costs:

Form Name	Type of Respondent	Total Burden Hours	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Respondent Costs
UDS Reporting Modernization Customer Satisfaction Survey	Medical Records/Health IT Technician1	122	$20.59	$2,512
Total		122		$2,512

13. Estimates of Annualized Cost Burden to Respondents

The only associated cost to respondents is their time to provide the requested information.

14. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Government

HRSA estimates a de minimis, if any additional cost to the government for administering the short, voluntary survey. The survey was developed and will be administered by HRSA staff as part of regular job responsibilities. HRSA will use already existing Survey Monkey accounts for administration of the survey.

15. Change in Burden

Not Applicable. This is a new activity under HRSA’s generic clearance and will be included in the total burden currently approved by OMB under OMB Control No. 0915-0212.

16. Plans for Analysis and Timetable of Key Activities

The survey will be conducted for one month after the close of the annual UDS reporting period. Findings will be used only to improve the UDS reporting features and will not be generalized to the public. There are no plans for publication of any survey results.

17. Exemption for Display of Expiration Date

No exemption is being requested. The expiration date will be displayed.

18. Certifications

This information collection activity will comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.

1 Wages for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292071.htm.

5