[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 211 (Thursday, November 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50938-50939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23867]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. NHTSA-2017-0087]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures 
established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB 
approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed 
collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of 
previously approved collections. This document describes a collection 
of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by DOT Docket No. NHTSA-
2017-0087] by any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. Telephone: 1-800-647-5527.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number for this proposed collection of information. Note that 
all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://docketsinfo.dot.gov/.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Laurie Flaherty, Office of 
Emergency Medical Services, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., NPD-400, Room W44-322, Washington, DC 20590. (202) 366-
2705. [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60 day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has

[[Page 50939]]

promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a 
document. Under OMB's regulations (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must 
ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) 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;
    (ii) 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;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including 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. In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA 
asks public comment on the following proposed collection of 
information:
    Title: Medical Directors Workforce Assessment.
    OMB Control Number: N/A.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms, 
but will utilize a Web-based, data reporting/collection tool.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Abstract: With over 50,000 separate Emergency Medical Services 
(EMS) agencies and fire departments providing care to millions of 
patients each year, a clear description of the training and backgrounds 
of those who provide medical direction of EMS services in the U.S. is 
surprisingly not available. An estimated 8,500 medical directors serve 
20,000 EMS agencies and 30,000 fire departments across the country.
    Public Safety Answering Points that answer 911 calls and provide 
emergency medical dispatch, aeromedical services, mass gathering events 
such as marathons and concerts, and police departments and their 
special operations teams also require medical directors if their 
personnel provide emergency care or instruction. Despite a growing 
number of trained and now boarded certified EMS physicians, prehospital 
medical direction faces several obstacles and unknowns. Currently data 
is difficult to identify, but many medical directors are thought to be 
from several specialties such as family practice, internal medicine, 
and surgery and have little or no EMS experience. In addition, 
individuals serving as EMS directors have varying degrees of 
involvement with their services. Medical directors' compensation, legal 
protections, involvement in research, and education are also largely 
unknown.
    Knowing more about the population of EMS medical directors in the 
United States would create several benefits. Defining this groups' 
demographics, qualifications, number, types and sizes of agencies 
served, and their financial compensation and legal protections is 
critical to determining trends of employment, identifying professional 
and training needs, recognizing barriers for medical directors, and 
directing policy and advocacy efforts. Collecting this data is 
essential for improving EMS medical direction across the nation and the 
National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other federal 
departments would benefit from understanding its prehospital medical 
leadership from a national preparedness perspective.
    The goal of the Medical Directors Workforce Assessment is to 
investigate and define key attributes of EMS and 911 medical directors 
across the United States in order to create a national picture of 
prehospital medical direction. The data will be used to establish an 
Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Workforce Assessment 
(EMSMDWA), which can guide future policy and investment in activities 
to support the improvement of preshospital medical direction.
    Affected Public: Under this proposed effort, the respondents would 
voluntarily submit data described above utilizing a Web-based data 
collection tool. Reporting entities are EMS and 911 Medical Directors 
of state and local EMS and 911 systems. The total maximum number of 
respondents is estimated 350.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Under this proposed effort, 
several forums and organizations known for medical director involvement 
will be targeted by the Office of EMS, to respond to an online survey 
being developed by the National Association of EMS Physicians, under 
the terms of a cooperative agreement (DTNH22-16-H-00007). The total 
number of respondents is estimated at 350. This is a one-time survey 
and no annual or second survey is planned at this time.
    Frequency: The reporting entities will be requested to submit data 
once, using the described Web-based tool.
    Number of Responses: The total maximum number of responses is 
estimated at 350.
    Estimated Total Burden: NHTSA estimates that the time required to 
submit the data described utilizing the Web-based tool will be one hour 
(no advance preparation, one hour of entry to Web site) per reporting 
entity, for a total of 350 hours for all entities. The respondents 
would not incur any reporting costs from the information collection 
beyond the time it takes to populate the Web-based data collection 
tool. The respondents also would not incur any recordkeeping burden or 
recordkeeping costs from the information collection.
    The total estimated costs to respondents or record-keepers are 
based on the following:
     The total hour burden of the collection of information 
equaling 350 hours.
     Respondents will be EMS and 911 Medical Directors at of 
State, local, territorial, and tribal EMS and 911 systems. To estimate 
reasonable staff expenses to respond to this information collection, 
the Agencies reviewed the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational 
Outlook Handbook and determined that the Physicians and Surgeons 
description closely aligns with the positions of personnel responsible 
for completing this request. BLS lists a median salary of $208,000 per 
year amounting to $100.00 per hour. There are no capital, start-up, or 
annual operation and maintenance costs involved in the collection of 
information.
     Total cost based on hour's burden equals $35,000.00.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the Department's 
performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for the 
Department to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized 
without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency 
will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 30, 2017.
Jeff Michael,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2017-23867 Filed 11-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P


