Overview
Title
Agency Father Generic Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment Request
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Department of Health wants to find out if people think they are doing a good job helping with health services, so they're asking everyone to share their opinions by April 23, 2021. They promise not to use the answers for counting people, but they need help to figure out how to be better at their work.
Summary AI
The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Secretary is asking for public comments on a proposed information collection. This request is made under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and aims to gather qualitative feedback about the agency's service delivery. The feedback will focus on various aspects like timeliness, accuracy, and efficiency of services. Comments must be submitted by April 23, 2021.
Abstract
In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed collection for public comment.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document released by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Secretary calls for public comments on a proposed information collection initiative. This initiative is in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, signifying an effort to streamline administrative procedures while soliciting valuable public feedback. Essentially, the agency aims to gather qualitative insights on how well it delivers services, focusing on areas like timeliness, accuracy, and efficiency. The period for submitting comments extends until April 23, 2021.
General Summary
The proposal seeks to extend a collection process that captures routine feedback on agency services from the public and stakeholders. It is described as a "Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery." Through this, the agency intends to gather non-statistical insights that can directly contribute to improving their programs and operations.
Significant Issues and Concerns
Several concerns arise from the text of the notice. The document uses specific terms like "Father Generic ICR," which could be confusing to those who are not familiar with administrative jargon. More context and explanation would be beneficial for lay readers. Furthermore, the mention of "OMB No. 0955-0003" lacks explanation about its relevance or utility.
Another important issue is the abstraction surrounding the methods and metrics to be employed for gathering feedback. The abstract nature of the feedback process might lead to questions about its implementation. While the document specifies that it is not a statistical survey, it fails to clarify how qualitative insights will be systematically analyzed or applied to effect change.
Moreover, the estimated numbers provided—such as 10,000 respondents and about 6 activities annually—seem somewhat arbitrary without detailed explanation of how these figures were determined. The document also states a burden estimate of 7 minutes per response, which could underestimate the time required for careful consideration and input.
Impacts on the Public and Stakeholders
This initiative can broadly impact the public by potentially improving the services they receive from the agency. Gathering feedback could highlight areas that require attention or modification, thus aligning services more closely with public needs and expectations. For specific stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, and professionals, this initiative offers a platform to express their experiences and suggest improvements directly.
However, if the concerns noted are not adequately addressed, there's a risk that the feedback process might not capture comprehensive or meaningful insights. Inaccurate time burdens or lack of clarity in solicitation methods may deter some from participating or reduce the quality of feedback submitted.
Additionally, while the document emphasizes improving service delivery through feedback, it lacks detail on how changes will be implemented or reported back to those who provided feedback. This lack of follow-through information might discourage active participation, as stakeholders may feel their input does not lead to tangible improvements.
Conclusion
The effort to gather qualitative feedback on agency service delivery is commendable and aligned with larger goals of transparency and efficiency improvement. For maximum effectiveness, addressing the identified issues—clarifying terminology, elaborating on methodologies, and providing transparency on implementation—would be essential. By doing so, the initiative can ensure it benefits the public and stakeholders meaningfully.
Issues
• The document uses terms like 'Father Generic ICR' which might be confusing or unclear to individuals unfamiliar with agency terminology, potentially needing more explanation.
• The document text refers to 'OMB No. 0955-0003' without explaining its significance or context to lay readers.
• The abstract mentions collecting 'qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback' without specifying what specific metrics or methods will be used, which might result in ambiguity.
• The text states that the feedback is not for statistical surveys but does not elaborate on how the qualitative feedback will be systematically analyzed, leaving a gap in understanding the process.
• The document does not provide specific examples or contexts of the current service issues or areas targeted for feedback, which limits transparency and clarity.
• The text gives figures on the estimated number of respondents and activities, but these seem somewhat arbitrary without further explanation on how they were calculated or what assumptions were made.
• The expected burden of 7 minutes per respondent may not accurately reflect the time needed for thoughtful feedback, potentially underestimating the true burden.
• While the solicitation of feedback aims to improve services, there is no mention of how the implementation of changes will be tracked or reported back to commenters.