Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic required that our research team change our mail-only (MO) strategy for a research survey to a strategy more manageable by staff working remotely. We used a modified web-push approach (MWP), in which patients were mailed a request to respond online and invite...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-023-02066-5 |
| _version_ | 1797558791990935552 |
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| author | Varsha G. Vimalananda Jolie B. Wormwood Kailyn E. Sitter B. Graeme Fincke Shirley Qian Maya N. Tait Mark Meterko |
| author_facet | Varsha G. Vimalananda Jolie B. Wormwood Kailyn E. Sitter B. Graeme Fincke Shirley Qian Maya N. Tait Mark Meterko |
| author_sort | Varsha G. Vimalananda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic required that our research team change our mail-only (MO) strategy for a research survey to a strategy more manageable by staff working remotely. We used a modified web-push approach (MWP), in which patients were mailed a request to respond online and invited to call if they preferred the questionnaire by mail or phone. We also changed from a pre-completion gift to a post-completion gift card incentive. Our objective is to compare response patterns between modes for a survey that used an MO strategy pre-pandemic followed by an MWP strategy peri-pandemic for data collection. Methods Observational study using data from a national multi-scale survey about patients’ experience of specialty care coordination administered via MO in 2019 and MWP from 2020 to 2021 to Veterans receiving primary care and specialty care within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). We compared response rates, respondent characteristics and responses about care coordination between MO and MWP, applying propensity weights to account for differences in the underlying samples. Results The response rate was lower for MWP vs. MO (13.4% vs. 36.6%), OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.25–0.30, P < .001). Respondent characteristics were similar across MO and MWP. Coordination scale scores tended to be slightly higher for MWP, but the effect sizes for these differences between modes were small for 9 out of 10 scales. Conclusions While the logistics of MWP survey data collection are well-suited to the remote research work environment, response rates were lower than those for the MO method. Future studies should examine addition of multi-mode contacts and/or pre-completion incentives to increase response rates for MWP. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:36:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4067408b73e0402cac79d11c86962fec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2288 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:36:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4067408b73e0402cac79d11c86962fec2023-11-20T09:49:52ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882023-10-012311810.1186/s12874-023-02066-5Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiencesVarsha G. Vimalananda0Jolie B. Wormwood1Kailyn E. Sitter2B. Graeme Fincke3Shirley Qian4Maya N. Tait5Mark Meterko6Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Bedford Healthcare SystemCenter for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Bedford Healthcare SystemCenter for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Bedford Healthcare SystemCenter for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Bedford Healthcare SystemCenter for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), VA Bedford Healthcare SystemInternational School of BostonDepartment of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public HealthAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic required that our research team change our mail-only (MO) strategy for a research survey to a strategy more manageable by staff working remotely. We used a modified web-push approach (MWP), in which patients were mailed a request to respond online and invited to call if they preferred the questionnaire by mail or phone. We also changed from a pre-completion gift to a post-completion gift card incentive. Our objective is to compare response patterns between modes for a survey that used an MO strategy pre-pandemic followed by an MWP strategy peri-pandemic for data collection. Methods Observational study using data from a national multi-scale survey about patients’ experience of specialty care coordination administered via MO in 2019 and MWP from 2020 to 2021 to Veterans receiving primary care and specialty care within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). We compared response rates, respondent characteristics and responses about care coordination between MO and MWP, applying propensity weights to account for differences in the underlying samples. Results The response rate was lower for MWP vs. MO (13.4% vs. 36.6%), OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.25–0.30, P < .001). Respondent characteristics were similar across MO and MWP. Coordination scale scores tended to be slightly higher for MWP, but the effect sizes for these differences between modes were small for 9 out of 10 scales. Conclusions While the logistics of MWP survey data collection are well-suited to the remote research work environment, response rates were lower than those for the MO method. Future studies should examine addition of multi-mode contacts and/or pre-completion incentives to increase response rates for MWP.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-023-02066-5Survey researchPatient surveysSpecialty careVeterans |
| spellingShingle | Varsha G. Vimalananda Jolie B. Wormwood Kailyn E. Sitter B. Graeme Fincke Shirley Qian Maya N. Tait Mark Meterko Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences BMC Medical Research Methodology Survey research Patient surveys Specialty care Veterans |
| title | Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| title_full | Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| title_fullStr | Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| title_short | Adaptations for remote research work: a modified web-push strategy compared to a mail-only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| title_sort | adaptations for remote research work a modified web push strategy compared to a mail only strategy for administering a survey of healthcare experiences |
| topic | Survey research Patient surveys Specialty care Veterans |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-023-02066-5 |
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