This document summarizes a study that tested different protocols for sending pre-incentive checks to physicians to complete surveys. The standard protocol sent a $25 check with the paper survey in the second mailing, while the experimental protocol sent the check with the initial email containing the online survey link. The experimental protocol yielded a lower overall response rate of 28% compared to 33% for the standard protocol. It also had higher rates of physicians cashing the check without completing the survey. While the experimental protocol encouraged more online completions, it ultimately had a higher total cost per completed interview. Sending pre-incentives with the preferred response mode led to better response rates and completion patterns.

1. MAXIMIZING RESPONSE RATES AND REDUCING
COSTS FOR PHYSICIAN SURVEYS:
WHEN SHOULD PRE-INCENTIVE CHECKS BE SENT?
@robynrapoport | @ssrs_solutions
rrapoport@ssrs.com
484.840.4354
ROBYN RAPOPORT & ERIN CZYZEWICZ, SSRS | MICHELLE DOTY, THE COMMONWEALTH FUND
Presented by Robyn Rapoport
Vice President, Health Care, Public Policy & International Research

2. OUTLINE
• Maximizing Response Rates for Physician Surveys – Design Strategies
• Primary Care Physician Survey Experiment – Description
• Research Results
• Conclusions and Implications
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3. MAXIMIZING RESPONSE RATES FOR PHYSICIAN SURVEYS -
DESIGN STRATEGIES
• Monetary Pre-incentives
• Prenotification letters/Endorsement by legitimizing professional organizations
• Certified mail/First class stamps on return envelopes
• Option to complete online or paper
• Extended field period length and two-wave design
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4. PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN SURVEY EXPERIMENT
• Primary Care Providers – GPs, Internists, and PediatriciansPOPULATION
• Mail recruit to self-administered survey
• Online and paper
MODE
• Experimental Protocol: $25 sent with web link in first mailing
• Standard Protocol: $25 sent in second mailing with paper survey
DESIGN
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5. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH RESULTS

6. RESPONSE RATE - OVERALL
33%
28%
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
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Response rate in Standard Condition is nearly 20% higher than Experimental Condition.

7. RESPONSE RATE – DAYS IN FIELD
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
More PCPs in Experimental Condition complete the survey more quickly (online) but by Day 19,
the response rate for the Standard protocol is higher than for the Experimental protocol.

8. MODE OF COMPLETION
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24%
55%
Web Completes
76%
45%
Mail Completes
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
PCPs in the Experimental Condition are more than two times more likely to complete the survey
online.

9. % CASHED FROM TOTAL SAMPLE
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For both the Standard and Experimental conditions, the proportion that cashed their incentive is
nearly the same as the proportion who completed the survey.
34%
28%
33%
28%
% Cashed Response Rate
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
% Cashed Response Rate

10. CHEATERS VS. GOOD SAMARITANS
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5%
8%
6% 7%
Completed but
not Cashed:
Good Samaritans
Not Completed
and Cashed:
Cheaters
Completed but
not Cashed:
Good Samaritans
Not Completed
and Cashed:
Cheaters
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
Overall, PCPs in the Experimental Condition are somewhat more likely to be both Cheaters and
Good Samaritans.

11. % CASHED AMONG COMPLETES
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85%
72%
81% 86%87%
55%
% Cashed Among Completes By Mode
Standard Condition Experimental Condition
Mail CompletesWeb Completes
A larger portion of those who completed in the Standard Condition cashed their checks; PCPs in
the Experimental Condition who completed via paper were least likely to cash their checks.

12. COST OF INTERVIEW
To complete the requisite number of interviews,
those completed in the Experimental Condition
would cost ~6% (approximately $4) more than those
completed in the Standard Condition.
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Standard
Condition
Experimental
Condition

13. IMPLICATIONS / FUTURE RESEARCH

14. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS
• Pre-incentives boosted completes in proximate mode – online for Experimental Condition and
paper for Standard Condition, with larger effect in Standard Condition
For the future:
• Use passcode-embedded URL for sample with email addresses
• Offer sequential preincentive ($2/$5 cash with paper survey) to boost mail completes
• Send pre-incentive through email to boost online completes
• Consider goals: quick turn-around vs. maximized response rate, etc.
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15. CONTACT US
ROBYN RAPOPORT
VP, Health, Public Policy & International Research
rrapoport@ssrs.com
484-840-4354
@RobynRapoport