Form #2 Form #2 Focus Group Guide

A

Form Approved
OMB No. 0935-XXXX
Exp. Date XX/XX/20XX

ttachment D: Member Checking Focus Group Guide

1. Introduction of Study, Procedures, and Focus Group Participants (10 min.)

Thank you for joining us. Let me tell you what this discussion is about.

We at Billings Clinic, together with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, are conducting a study to look at the impact of health IT on workflow. You recently implemented a new health IT [insert health IT] in your practice [clinic or pod]. You have also been observed before, during and after implementation, interviewed, or all of these things. We have analyzed the data from all of these study components and want to share the findings with you and our interpretations, to make sure that our findings and interpretations accurately reflect your experiences using this new health IT [insert health IT]. Today we are going to share our findings with you and ask you how well they reflect your experience with this new health IT. We are interested in your perspective; there are no right or wrong answers. Also, we are interested in everyone’s opinion and your opinion does not need to match that of your co-workers and colleagues.

Before we go on, I need to make a few things clear.

• First of all, unless it’s critically important for you to leave your cell phones and pagers on, I’d appreciate it if you could turn them off, so that they won’t interrupt our discussion.

• I have to emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers to the questions I’ll be asking of you. The purpose of this discussion is to understand your experiences with this new health IT and to determine if our interpretations match yours. It doesn’t matter whether you have a positive or a negative opinion about the implementation of this new health IT [insert health IT], as long as it is your honest opinion. And with some of the questions we ask, I understand that you may not really have an opinion – that’s okay too.

• Next, I want to assure you that everything we discuss today will remain absolutely confidential to the extent permitted by law. Individuals and organizations will be assured of the confidentiality of their replies under Sections 944(c) and 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act[42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c) and 42 U.S.C. 242m(d)].

• This discussion is being audio-taped – this is so that we have something to review later when reviewing the focus group. We don’t want to miss or misinterpret anything you say. But I assure you that no one who is not directly involved in this research will have access to the recording. We will also be taking notes. Again, only the research team will have access to the notes.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average XX minutes per response, the estimated time required to complete the survey. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer Attention: PRA, Paperwork Reduction Project (0935-XXXX) AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room # 5036, Rockville, MD 20850.

• We have about 45 minutes for this discussion. We want everyone to get a chance to speak when they have something to say. So I ask that you try to keep your comments brief and related to the issue at hand. If I interrupt you at some point, please don’t take it personally – it’s just that I have to keep us focused and moving along. Please speak up so everyone can hear you. And I’d appreciate it if you wait until another person is finished speaking before speaking yourself.

Before we start the discussion, why don’t we briefly introduce ourselves. Let’s go around the room and have everyone state their first name, and tell us what your role is in this practice, what you like to do in your free time, or something else about yourself.

2. Sharing of Findings (5 mins)

The focus group facilitator will spend about 5 minutes sharing an overall summary of study findings.

3. Discussion of Themes (25 minutes)

The facilitator will introduce and briefly discuss each theme that emerged from the study findings. Questions for participants:

1. What do you think of this finding?

2. Do you agree with this finding? Is it aligned with your own experience?

3. If not, what was your experience? How was it different from what we described?

4. Wrap up (5 minutes)

We want to thank you for a useful discussion. Is there anything we haven’t mentioned that you would like to bring up?

Please also feel free to contact any of the study researchers if there is anything you would like to add, or think of at a later time.