Att W - NEHRS Mail Survey Letters

Attachment W: 2012 NEHRS Mail Survey Letters
First Mailing:
October 23, 2011
John Doe, MD
Position (if provided, i.e. Director, Chief, etc)
Practice Name (if provided)
5 Smith Street
Nowhere, NC 99999-1111
Dear Dr. Doe,
You have been selected to respond to a brief mail survey on the use of electronic medical records in office-based
practices. Results from the enclosed survey will be used to track adoption of electronic medical records
nationwide. We are conducting this special survey as a supplement to the National Ambulatory Medical Care
Survey (NAMCS) which routinely collects information about office-based practices. I would request that you
please take the time to answer the questions in the survey and return it in the enclosed envelope. You are not
being asked to provide any patient information for this mail survey.
Data collection for the NAMCS is authorized under Section 306 of the Public Health Service Act (Title 42, U.S.
Code, 242k). Your responses are anonymous and we are required to keep your survey data confidential in
accordance with Section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42, U.S. Code, 242m(d)) and the Confidential
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (Title 5 of PL 107-347). This information will be used for
statistical purposes only. The National Center for Health Statistics’ Research Ethics Review Board has approved
this supplement to the NAMCS.
We are eager to get information from you for this survey. If you are unable to complete the survey yourself, then
an office manager or another staff member could complete the survey on your behalf. As survey participation is
voluntary, if you choose not to participate, please write that on the form and return it to us in the enclosed
envelope.
We have routinely relied on the generosity of physicians like you to provide the much needed information to help
policy makers, health services researchers, and medical associations understand the current issues with health care
delivery in the United States. If you have any questions or comments regarding this study, please call the study
coordinator at 1-866-635-4515. Additional information on the survey may be obtained by visiting the NAMCS
participant Web site at www.cdc.gov/namcs.
Thank you for your valuable assistance with this worthy study.
Sincerely,

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.
Director

Second Mailing:
October 23, 2011
John Doe, MD
Position (if provided, i.e. Director, Chief, etc)
Practice Name (if provided)
5 Smith Street
Nowhere, NC 99999-1111
Dear Dr. Doe,
About three weeks ago, I sent you a survey about an important research study on the use of electronic medical
records in office-based practices. As of the date of this letter, we have not received your survey.
I am writing again because of the importance of your participation to us. Although the survey was sent to other
physicians, the value of this study is dependent upon obtaining a good representation of physicians’ unique
insights and experiences. The data you provide are invaluable to track adoption of electronic medical records
nationwide.
Your responses are anonymous and we are required to keep your survey data confidential in accordance with
Section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42, U.S. Code, 242m(d)) and the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (Title 5 of PL 107-347). We will publish and report only summary data
and reports will not include any individual responses or identifiers. Although we hope that you will take part in
the study, your participation is voluntary.
If you are no longer in practice or do not provide care for ambulatory patients, please answer Question 2 on the
survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope. If you choose not to participate, please indicate this anywhere
on the blank questionnaire and return it in the envelope.
Whether you have already mailed a completed survey, are planning to complete the survey, or decided not to
participate, we want to thank you very much for your time, effort, and contribution to this important study. If you
have any questions or comments regarding this study, please do not hesitate to contact the project coordinator at
1-866-635-4515.
Sincerely,

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.
Director

Third mailing:
October 23, 2011
John Doe, MD
Practice Name (if provided)
5 Smith Street
Nowhere, NC 99999-1111
Dear Dr. Doe,
We have been trying to reach you about an important research study on the use of electronic medical
records in office-based practices. Results from the enclosed survey will be used to track adoption of
electronic medical records nationwide. We are conducting this special survey as a supplement to the
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) which routinely collects information about officebased practices. You are not being asked to provide any patient information for this mail survey and
participation is voluntary.
This study is drawing to a close and one of our concerns is that those physicians who have not
responded to the survey may have different experiences from those who have returned surveys. In order
to make statistically valid conclusions from the study, we need to hear from all types of physicians. If
you are unable to complete the survey yourself within the next week, then an office manager or another
staff member could complete the survey on your behalf. I urge you to take about 15 minutes to
complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope.
If you are no longer in practice or do not provide care for ambulatory patients, please answer Question 2
on the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope. If you choose not to participate, please write
that on the form and return it to us in the enclosed envelope.
Whether you have already mailed a completed survey, are planning to complete the survey, or decided
not to participate, we want to thank you very much for your time, effort, and contribution to this
important study. If you have any questions or comments regarding this study, please do not hesitate to
contact the study coordinator at 1-866-635-4515.
Sincerely,

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.
Director

Post Card Reminder:
Last week a questionnaire was mailed to you requesting your participation in an important study of electronic
medical records in office-based practices.
If you have already returned the questionnaire, let me take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to
this research. If not, please do so today. Your participation in the study is critical to its success and to improving
the understanding of the adoption of electronic medical records systems in the United States.
If you did not receive the questionnaire, or if you have misplaced it, please call our toll-free number at 1-866-6354515 and we will be happy to send you with another one.
Thank you for your participation.

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.
Director