title: Statistical Application and Cost Saving in a Dental Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To effectively achieve a robust survey response rate in a timely manner, an alternative approach to survey distribution, informed by statistical modeling, was applied to efficiently and cost-effectively achieve the targeted rate of return.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective environmental scan surveying adoption of health information technology utilization within their practices was undertaken in a national pool of dental professionals (N=8000) using an alternative method of sampling. The piloted approach to rate of cohort sampling targeted a response rate of 400 completed surveys from among randomly targeted eligible providers who were contacted using replicated subsampling leveraging mailed surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two replicated subsample mailings (n=1000 surveys/mailings) were undertaken to project the true response rate and estimate the total number of surveys required to achieve the final target. Cost effectiveness and non-response bias analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final mailing required approximately 24% fewer mailings compared to targeting of the entire cohort, with a final survey capture exceeding the expected target. An estimated $5000 in cost savings was projected by applying the alternative approach. Non-response analyses found no evidence of bias relative to demographics, practice demographics, or topically-related survey questions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcome of this pilot study suggests that this approach to survey studies will accomplish targeted enrollment in a cost effective manner. Future studies are needed to validate this approach in the context of other survey studies.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Informatics Research Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA chyou.po-huang@mcrf.mfldclin.edu.
authors.forename: Po-Huang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chyou
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral and Systemic Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Dixie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral and Systemic Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwei
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral and Systemic Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acharya
mesh_terms: D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D063005:Health Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cost Effectiveness; Mailing; Sample size; Survey