Notice2026-04147
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10395-10396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04147]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-26-0824]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information
collection request titled ``National Syndromic Surveillance Program
(NSSP)'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection
Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on Dec 5,
2025, to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC
received two comments related to the previous notice. This notice
serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency
comments.
CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly
interested in comments that:
(a) Evaluate 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;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses; and
(e) Assess information collection costs.
To request additional information on the proposed project or to
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call
(404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202)
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice
publication.
Proposed Project
National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) (OMB Control No.
0920-0824, Exp. 3/31/2026)--Revision--Office of Public Health Data,
Surveillance, and Technology (OPHDST), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
Syndromic surveillance uses syndromic data and statistical tools to
detect, monitor, and characterize unusual activity for further public
health investigation or response. Syndromic data include electronic
extracts of electronic health records (EHRs) from patient encounter
data from emergency departments, urgent care, ambulatory care, and
inpatient healthcare settings, as well as laboratory data. Though these
data are being captured for different purposes, they are monitored in
near real-time as potential indicators of an event, a disease, or an
outbreak of public health significance. On the national level, these
data are used to improve nationwide situational awareness and enhance
responsiveness to hazardous events and disease outbreaks to protect
America's health, safety, and security.
The BioSense Program was created by congressional mandate as part
of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and
Response Act of 2002 and was launched by the CDC in 2003. The BioSense
Program has since been expanded into the National Syndromic
Surveillance Program (NSSP) which promotes and advances development of
a syndromic surveillance system for the timely exchange of syndromic
data. CDC requests a three-year approval for a Revision for NSSP (OMB
Control No. 0920-0824, Exp. 3/31/2026). This Revision includes a
request for approval to continue to receive onboarding data from state,
local and territorial public health departments about healthcare
facilities in their jurisdiction; registration data needed to allow
users access to the BioSense Platform tools and services; and data
sharing permissions so that state, local and territorial health
departments can share data with other state, local and territorial
health departments and CDC.
NSSP features the BioSense Platform and a collaborative Community
of Practice. The BioSense Platform is a secure integrated electronic
health information system that CDC provides, primarily for use by
state, local and territorial public health departments. It includes
standardized analytic tools and processes that enable users to rapidly
collect, evaluate, share, and store syndromic surveillance data. NSSP
promotes a Community of Practice in which participants collaborate to
advance the science and practice of syndromic surveillance. Health
departments use the BioSense Platform to receive healthcare data from
facilities in their jurisdiction, conduct syndromic surveillance, and
share the data with other jurisdictions and CDC.
The BioSense Platform provides the ability to analyze healthcare
encounter data from EHRs, as well as laboratory data. All EHR and
laboratory data reside in a cloud-enabled, web-based platform that has
Authorization to Operate from CDC. The BioSense Platform sits in the
secure, private Government Cloud which is simply used as a storage and
processing mechanism, as opposed to
[[Page 10396]]
on-site servers at CDC. This environment provides users with easily
managed on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing
resources such as networks, servers, software, tools, storage, and
services, with limited need for additional IT support. Each site (i.e.,
state or local public health department) controls its data within the
cloud and is provided with free secure data storage space with tools
for posting, receiving, controlling and analyzing their data; an easy-
to-use data display dashboard; and a shared environment where users can
collaborate and advance public health surveillance practice. Each site
is responsible for creating its own data use agreements with the
facilities that are sending the data, retains ownership of any data it
contributes to its exclusive secure space, and can share data with CDC
or users from other sites.
NSSP has three different types of information collection:
(1) Collection of onboarding data about healthcare facilities
needed for state, local, and territorial public health departments to
submit EHR data to the BioSense Platform;
(2) Collection of registration data needed to allow users access to
the BioSense Platform tools and services; and
(3) Collection of data sharing permissions so that state, local,
and territorial health departments can share data with other state,
local, and territorial health departments and CDC.
Healthcare data shared with CDC can include: EHR data received by
state and local public health departments from facilities including
hospital emergency departments and inpatient settings, urgent care, and
ambulatory care; mortality data from state and local vital statistics
offices; laboratory tests ordered and their results from a national
private sector laboratory company; and EHR data from the Department of
Defense (DoD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Disaster Medical Assistance
Teams (DMATs).
The only burden incurred by the health departments is for
submitting onboarding data about facilities to CDC, submitting
registration data about users to CDC, and setting up data sharing
permissions with CDC. CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 54
annual burden hours. Respondents include state, local, and territorial
public health departments. There are no costs to respondents other than
their time to participate.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of Avg. burden
Type of respondents Form name Number of responses per per response
respondents respondent (in hours)
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State, Local, and Territorial Public Onboarding.............. 15 10 10/60
Health Departments.
State, Local, and Territorial Public Registration............ 15 10 10/60
Health Departments.
State, Local, and Territorial Public Data Sharing Permissions 15 1 15/60
Health Departments.
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2026-04147 Filed 3-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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