This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Lensing, S. Y. Articles by Smith, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Lensing, S. Y. Articles by Smith, J. M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Encouraging Physicians to Respond to Surveys through the Use of Fax Technology

Stephen R. Gillaspy

Pippa M. Simpson

Stacie M. Jones

John M. James

Juneal M. Smith

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock

High response rates to surveys of physicians are difficult to achieve. One possible strategy to improve physicians’ survey participation is to offer the option of receiving and returning the survey by fax. This study describes the success of the option of fax communication in a survey of general practitioners, family physicians, and pediatricians in Arkansas with regard to pediatric asthma. Eligible physicians were given the choice of receiving the survey by telephone, mail, or fax. In this observational study, physicians’ preferences, response rates, and biases for surveys administered by fax were compared with mail and telephone surveys. The overall survey response rate was 59%. For the 96 physicians completing an eligibility screener survey, the largest percentage requested to be surveyed by fax (47%) rather than by telephone (28%) or mail (25%). Faxing may be one strategy to add to the arsenal of tools to increase response rates in surveying physicians.

Evaluation & the Health Professions, Vol. 23, No. 3, 348-359 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/01632780022034642


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?