Survey Research Program Part of Group Health Research Institute
Leading-edge health care research is your mission. It s ours, too. When you study health and illness, you need data savvy and field expertise that s well beyond typical market research. We understand that scientifically sound data collection is among your top priorities and we ll deliver it with an experienced, personal touch. Because health care research is all we do, we know how to do it right. Since 1988, we ve worked with real patients every day to collect data for Group Health Research Institute and other collaborators nationwide reaching out to diverse and asking the right questions the right way to solicit honest, unbiased responses. Why work with us? Our approach to designing and implementing data collection is: Rigorous. Working with us, you can count on superior data quality. Our team uses evidence-based standards and effective quality-assurance procedures from project planning to data collection to final delivery. Customized. You ll find value and efficiency in services tailored to fit your study and in an approach that is uniquely patient centered. Because we work exclusively with patient, our team is skilled at building rapport that helps respondents feel comfortable answering sensitive questions about health and illness. Cost effective. We offer comprehensive, high-quality services at competitive prices so you can be sure you re spending precious grant dollars wisely and getting the most for your money. The Survey Research Program s experience and expertise allowed us to field a complex, multi-site investigation efficiently and accurately. They helped us avoid pitfalls we would not have foreseen otherwise, and offered valuable insights on questionnaire design and data collection techniques. They stayed in close contact throughout our study, reached our response goals on schedule, and delivered a final product that exceeded our expectations. John F. Steiner, MD, MPH Senior Director, Institute for Health Research Kaiser Permanente Colorado pose unique challenges for data collection. The HMO Cancer Research Network specializes in that take place across three or more sites and the Survey Research Program has consistently met our needs effectively, efficiently, and with an eye toward data quality that s difficult to beat. Ed Wagner, MD, MPH Director Emeritus, MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation, Group Health Research Institute The Survey Research Program is the complete package. They provide valuable input at the study design and planning phase, conduct the survey efficiently, and manage data entry. I was very impressed with their professionalism and expertise at every phase. Doug Opel, MD, MPH Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics Seattle Children s Research Institute Photography by: Jose Luis Pelaez, Blend Images, Getty Images
services Descriptions of Services contact Kevin Ulrich, MA Manager, Survey Research Program Phone: 206-287-2010 Fax: 206-287-2871 E-mail: ulrich.k@ghc.org Group Health Research Institute 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600 Seattle, WA 98101 grouphealthresearch.org Telephone recruitment and survey research We perform telephone data collection using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). CATI software optimizes data quality and efficiency through built-in quality assurance features. Complex skip patterns can be programmed, reducing the possibility of human error. Interviewing occurs seven days a week, and our automated call-scheduling software ensures that respondents are contacted at different times of the day and evening on varying days of the week. Interviewers are trained in standardized survey interviewing techniques and project-specific procedures which can include item-byitem specifications for each questionnaire. Interviewers phone performance, delivery, and productivity are routinely monitored and corrective or remedial training is provided as necessary. Interview quality is continuously assessed using silent monitors and interviewer feedback occurs on a regular basis. Web surveys We use dynamic software to create Web surveys that allow participants to complete surveys in multiple ways including with a mobile device. The program delivers email reminders to non-responders, sends thank you messages to completers, and has many other features that improve the survey experience for research participants. The Web surveys we produce are professional in appearance and easy for respondents to navigate and understand. We can even include video links and photos to help respondents identify things like medications and self-care procedures. Mail surveys and self-administered questionnaires We have extensive experience designing questionnaires, consulting on mail survey research, and completing large mail survey projects. Our goal is to design instruments that maximize comprehension and response, minimize missing data and to create a form that
Descriptions of Services (continued) is easy to edit and data enter. We use the latest methodological advances and techniques in the field whenever feasible. Biospecimen collection We lead data collection efforts for various types of genetic that ask participants to provide biospecimens. We have extensive experience gaining informed consent for genetic testing by phone and in coordinating lab visits for participants to give blood samples. We also send blood draw kits, saliva kits, and consent forms by mail tracking receipt of the samples and consents and making reminder calls to participants who do not return them within the target timeframe. Web-based interventions For that involve interventions on the Web, our software can provide printable, tailored reports to both respondents and study staff. For example, respondents who complete a Web-based intervention survey can receive a customized report immediately after. At the same time, the study team can receive another report on select responses or summary scores. Our software also makes timed email messages and surveys easy to coordinate. Mail production We routinely produce study mailings of all shapes and sizes. Our in-house mail production service can accommodate postcards, advance letters, reminder letters, promotional materials, and study supplies such as biospecimen collection containers. We have extensive experience conducting personalized mailings while maintaining participant confidentiality, and all our staff receive training on privacy protections, including HIPAA. Data entry and editing Our services include consulting on the design of forms to be data entered, editing forms, developing codebooks, and performing rigorous qualityassurance procedures. We use multiple software programs for entry and verification of data from paper forms, such as mailed or self-administered questionnaires and clinic intake forms. We also use Teleform software to design mail surveys or intake forms that can be scanned rather than data entered, thus reducing the possibility of measurement error.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions What is the Survey Research Program? The Survey Research Program is a team of survey professionals who work at Group Health Research Institute the public-interest research center within Group Health Cooperative, a Seattle-based health care system. In addition to supporting the Institute s rigorous research portfolio, our customized data collection services are also available to outside clients who conduct health care research. What services do you provide? Overall survey consultation and design services contact Kevin Ulrich, MA Manager, Survey Research Program Phone: 206-287-2010 Fax: 206-287-2871 E-mail: ulrich.k@ghc.org Group Health Research Institute 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600 Seattle, WA 98101 grouphealthresearch.org Questionnaire pretesting Phone, mail, Web, or mixed-mode survey data collection Telephone screening and recruitment for interventions and Mail production work Data entry for self-administered surveys or other paper questionnaires Biospecimen collection and informed consent for genetic Who are your clients? We work with public and private health care researchers nationwide whose work aligns with our mission: to improve health and health care for everyone through leading-edge research, innovation, and dissemination. Our clients include both academic and industry-based researchers.
Frequently Asked Questions (continued) What do your services cost? Your costs will depend on the complexities and requirements of your study. After we understand the specific needs of your project, we can usually provide an estimate within 5-10 business days. Where are you located? Our staff and call center are in Seattle, Washington. How long has the Survey Research Program been in business? We have led data collection efforts for researchers at Group Health since 1988. Since then, our experience working with outside collaborators and clients has grown steadily. What are your hours of operation? Our interview team operates seven days a week, including evenings to maximize opportunities for contact with a variety of potential study participants. Our automated callscheduling software ensures that respondents are contacted at different times of the day and evening on varying days of the week. Do you do surveys in other languages? We have experience conducting phone surveys in English and Spanish. What if my study includes participants of a certain age group? We are adept at tailoring survey questions to the age-specific needs of the audience. Our experience includes surveys with participants as young as 11 and as old as 102. What if my study sample is very large or very small? We have the capacity to collect data efficiently across a wide range of whether large or small and will gladly scale our approach to meet your needs. Do I have to include participants from Group Health in my study? No. We work on a variety of that recruit from other health systems and in other regions. If you re interested in including participants from Group Health in your sample, consider collaborating with a Group Health researcher. Learn more at www.grouphealthresearch.org.
results Project Highlights As data-collection experts for health care research, the Survey Research Program will bring a uniquely well-informed perspective to your next study. Our experience is both broad and deep and the many examples below show the diversity of our capabilities,, methods, and of study. Health and Relationships Study 3 3 3 contact Kevin Ulrich, MA Manager, Survey Research Program The Health and Relationships Study team faced a unique challenge. Not only were they studying sensitive dating violence, sexual behaviors, and alcohol use they needed to engage hundreds of 18 to 21 year olds in a 40-minute survey. The Survey Research Program helped the team develop a mixed-mode approach (phone and Web surveys) paired with participant incentives to maximize response completing the project on time and under budget. Adolescent Screening Study Phone: 206-287-2010 Fax: 206-287-2871 E-mail: ulrich.k@ghc.org 3 3 3 3 Group Health Research Institute 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600 Seattle, WA 98101 grouphealthresearch.org Conducting surveys with respondents as young as 11 years old requires interpersonal skill and a delicate touch especially when the topic of study is sensitive. That s why the Adolescent Screening Study came to us to field their multi-mode recruitment effort for a study on adolescent depression and other emotional health issues. Our staff obtained consent from children and parents, successfully recruiting the study team s target of 444 families in less than five months. During follow up, we also conducted phone surveys with some parents about family mental health history and coordinated consent and saliva kit mailings for the adolescents.
Project Highlights (continued) Patient Portal Study 3 3 3 Today, many research need to include data collection tailored to individual respondent characteristics as in the Patient Portal Study, which examined medication adherence issues among HIV-positive adults. Because HIV medications differ dramatically among respondents, the survey needed to be customized around complex skip patterns. We used powerful and flexible Web survey software to design a data collection instrument that included photos of medications and related questions tailored to the respondent s situation. The program also sent email notifications based on conditional responses. SUPREME Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Study 3 3 3 3 3 Achieving geographic and ethnic diversity are important goals for most. For the SUPREME Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Study, we recruited post-partum women from three regions across the country and conducted more than 700 interviews in both English and Spanish. We tailored calling over more than 1,500 hours maximizing participant contact and helping the study team achieve the diversity it was aiming for. Medical Side Effects Study 3 3 3 Facing a tight timeline, the Medical Side Effects Study needed to investigate adverse reactions to medications in a population of adults who had gained more than 7% of their body weight after being prescribed an antipsychotic medication. We efficiently conducted eligibility screening and baseline interviews by phone and coordinated biospecimen collection via mailed saliva kits and consent forms. Our expedient approach to data collection and follow up helped the study team stay on schedule while exceeding their initial recruitment goals. MsFLASH Network Studies 3 3 require an organized and flexible approach to recruitment and data collection. The MsFLASH Network conducted a series of on menopause at five different sites, each of which needed a tailored script. Recruitment activities also had to adapt quickly to sites changing needs sometimes stopping and restarting at one site to stay in sync with updated study protocols. The Survey Research Program rose to the challenge, efficiently screening more than 12,000 women across two MsFLASH and coordinating baseline mailings and reminder calls to all who were eligible.
The Survey Research Program is one of Group Health Research Institute s greatest assets which is why so many research organizations nationwide work with them to optimize data collection. Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH Executive Director, Group Health Research Institute Vice President for Research, Group Health Our clients and collaborators include: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle Children s Research Institute Northwest Institute of Genetic Medicine National Genome Research Institute Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, Army of Women Program Kaiser Permanente: Georgia Northern California Southern California Northwest Colorado Harvard School of Medicine Indiana University School of Nursing Public Health-Seattle King County The Ohio State University University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine University of Washington, Department of Oral Medicine University of Washington, Health Services Research and Psychiatric Epidemiology Henry Ford Hospital Veterans Administration contact Survey Research Program Group Health Research Institute 1730 Minor Avenue Suite 1600 Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 206-287-2900 Fax: 206-287-2871