Patient satisfaction or acquiescence? Comparing mail and telephone survey results.
Debates about whether to use telephone or mail to survey discharged patients are waged in many hospitals. Findings from a methodological test indicate the two methods result in significant differences in evaluations--differences that health care marketers would be wise to heed. Mail-back questionnaires generate a wider range of responses and minimize the "acquiescence bias" telephone interviews tend to elicit, especially in health care surveys.
Ganey Associates Inc., South Bend, IN, USA.
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Hall
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D015285:Hospital-Patient Relations; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011177:Postal Service / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data