title: The effects of continuing medical education credits on physician response rates to a mailed questionnaire.
abstract: This study investigated whether the opportunity to obtain Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit together with a five-dollar bill increased response rates and questionnaire completion rates in a physician survey involving mailed questionnaires. One thousand, three hundred and fourteen cardiologists, family practitioners, general internists (non-surgeons) and 264 vascular surgeons randomly identified from the American Medical Association database participated. After two, of up to four, questionnaire mailings, the opportunity to obtain CME credit and a five-dollar bill were included with questionnaire mailings. Among non-surgeons, 26.5% responded to pre-incentive mailings and 30.2% of those initially unresponsive replied after the interventions. Among surgeons, 39% responded to pre-incentive mailings and 32.7% of those initially unresponsive replied after the interventions. In conclusion, the opportunity to receive CME credit combined with a small monetary incentive is an effective motivation for physicians participating in a study involving mailed questionnaires.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, USA.
authors.forename: Mary McGrae
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brogan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ockene
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Criqui
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lipsky
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Odom
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanley
authors.forename: Shaheen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States