Assessing the Quality of the US Health Care System Through Online Surveys
Author Information
Author(s): Christina Bethell, John Fiorillo, David Lansky, Michael Hendryx, James Knickman
Primary Institution: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research
Hypothesis
Can online consumer surveys effectively measure key aspects of health care quality in the United States?
Conclusion
Online surveys can provide similar insights into health care quality as traditional telephone surveys, but require careful sampling and weighting to ensure representativeness.
Supporting Evidence
- Online survey responses about quality of care were similar to those collected via telephone methods.
- Fewer contacts were needed to achieve target sample sizes using online methods compared to telephone methods.
- Demographic and socioeconomic variations in health care quality were observed in both online and telephone surveys.
Takeaway
This study shows that we can use online surveys to ask people about their health care experiences, and the results can be just as good as calling them on the phone.
Methodology
Surveys were conducted online and by telephone, comparing responses from a general adult population and adults with diabetes.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to underrepresentation of certain demographic groups, particularly racial minorities.
Limitations
The study did not adequately represent nonwhite individuals and those with lower education levels.
Participant Demographics
Participants included adults aged 18 and over, with a mix of genders and educational backgrounds, but underrepresented nonwhite individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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