Using Physician Caller Follow-Ups to Improve the Response Rate to a Physician Telephone Survey: Its Impact and Its Implications

Physician survey response rates are generally low, raising questions of response bias. In the present study, a telephone survey ofphysicians was used to determine (a) whether physician telephone survey response rates obtained by experienced telephone survey teams can be improved by adding physician investigator telephone contact; (b) whether physicians responding after this extra effort (“late responders”) differ from their “early responder” colleagues; and (c) whether higher response rates affect the results of physician surveys. Adding physician investigator telephone contact improved a response rate of 66% to 92%. Early and late responders differed significantly in respect to substantive questions, but did not in demographic characteristics. Addition of late responders, however, had limited impact on survey findings. Physician telephone survey response rate maximization remains advisable and can be accomplished by utilizing physician callers.