0990-Surveyofphysiciantime Use patternunder_theMedicareFee_APPENDIX D

APPENDIX D
Communication with Respondents

ASPE Physician Time Use Under the MFS Contract
Survey of Clinical Time for Selected Services
Pre-mailing letter for physicians

Dear Dr. [Last Name],
I am writing to ask for your help with an important study being conducted for the
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. The goal of this study is to explore the time inputs to the
Medicare Fee Schedule.
In the next few days you will receive a request to participate in this project by
answering questions about the estimated amount of time you spend providing
clinical services to patients. ASPE has contracted with Social & Scientific Systems,
Inc., and their partner, Urban Institute to gather this information to provide
policymakers with a better understanding of one aspect of how clinical services are
delivered and the relationships between the clinical time spent by physicians and
the time that is currently part of the fee schedule.
Your participation is very important in representing physicians from different
specialties that provide health care services to patients. The questionnaire should
take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The staff at Social & Scientific Systems
will do everything they can to make it easy for you to participate in the study.
In recognition of your effort, we will provide a $100 honorarium with the survey
packet. We thank you in advance for your help with this important study and
appreciate your valuable time in providing input.

Sincerely,
Richard Kronick, Ph.D.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy

ASPE Physician Time Use Under the MFS Contract
Survey of Clinical Time for Selected Services
Cover letter for physicians

Dear Dr. [Last Name],
I am writing to ask for your help in providing information for our study of physician
time use patterns. As a physician, your input on the estimated time you spend
providing clinical services to patients is critical to getting a better picture of one
aspect of the Medicare Fee Schedule.
The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) has contracted with
Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., and their partner, the Urban Institute, to gather
this information to be used to inform policymakers as they consider changes to
payments for clinical services.
You can help by completing the enclosed questionnaire and returning it to the
Social & Scientific Systems (SSS) team in the stamped return envelope provided.
The questionnaire should take approximately 20 minutes to complete, and your
answers will be kept confidential. Only aggregated data will be reported and neither
you nor your practice will be identifiable in any way to ASPE. If you have any
questions, please call 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for the Study Manager, Lourdes
Suarez. The staff at SSS will do everything they can to make it easy for you to
participate in the effort.
In recognition of your effort, we have included a $100 check as an honorarium. We
thank you in advance for your help with this important study and appreciate your
valuable time in providing input.

Sincerely,

Richard Kronick, Ph.D.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy

ASPE Physician Time Use Under the MFS Contract
Survey of Clinical Time for Selected Services
Email scripts

Dear Dr. [Last Name],
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is collecting information
about physician time use patterns. I am writing to request your assistance with this
effort. As a physician, your input on the estimated time you spend providing clinical
services to patients is critical to getting a better picture of one aspect of the
Medicare Fee Schedule.
DHHS has contracted with Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., and their partner, the
Urban Institute, to gather this information to be used to inform policymakers as
they consider changes to payments for clinical services.
You can help by completing the survey at http://survey.s-3.com/time. The survey
should take approximately 20 minutes to complete, and your answers will be kept
confidential. Only aggregated data will be reported and neither you nor your
practice will be identifiable in any way to DHHS. If you have any questions or would
prefer to complete a paper version of the survey, please call 1-800-XXX-XXXX and
ask for the Study Manager, Lourdes Suarez. The staff at SSS will do everything
they can to make it easy for you to participate in the effort.
In recognition of your effort, we will send you a $100 check as an honorarium. We
thank you in advance for your help with this important study and appreciate your
valuable time in providing input.

Sincerely,
Richard Kronick, Ph.D.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy

ASPE Physician Time Use Under the MFS Contract
Survey of Clinical Time for Selected Services
Email scripts

Dear Dr. [Last Name],
Recently I wrote you requesting help with an important DHHS effort to collect
information about physician time use patterns. I am writing again to encourage
your participation by completing the survey at http://survey.s-3.com/time.
If you have any questions or would prefer to complete a paper version of the
questionnaire, please call 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for the Study Manager, Lourdes
Suarez. The staff at Social & Scientific Systems (SSS), the study contractor, will do
everything they can to make it easy for you to participate in the effort.
As a physician, your input on the estimated time you spend providing clinical
services to patients is critical to getting a better picture of one aspect of the
Medicare Fee Schedule. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to
complete, and your answers will be kept confidential. Only aggregated data will be
reported and neither you nor your practice will be identifiable in any way to DHHS.
If you have any questions, please call
In recognition of your effort, we will send you a $100 check as an honorarium. We
thank you in advance for your help with this important study and appreciate your
valuable time in providing input.

Sincerely,
Richard Kronick, Ph.D.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy

ASPE Physician Time Use Under the MFS Contract
Survey of Clinical Time for Selected Services
Text for Reminder Postcard for Physicians
Recently a questionnaire was mailed to you seeking your input on the time you
spend providing clinical services to patients. Your response is very important
because of your role as a physician and knowledge about the clinical time it takes
to provide such care.
If you have already completed the questionnaire, please accept our sincere thanks.
If not, your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.
If you did not receive a questionnaire, it has been misplaced, or you have any
questions about the study please call us at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for the Study
Manager, Lourdes Suarez. We would be happy to send you another copy, provide
you with a link to the online version of the survey, or take your responses over the
telephone should that be more convenient for you.
Thank you for your valuable input.
**************************************************************************
Second postcard if needed
**************************************************************************
The field period for the Survey of Clinical Time is coming to a close and we need
your response within the next 10 days. Your input is very important because of
your role as a provider and knowledge about the clinical time it takes to provide
such care.
If you have already completed the questionnaire, please accept our sincere thanks.
If not, your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.
If you did not receive a questionnaire, it has been misplaced, or you have any
questions about the study please call us at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and ask for the Study
Manager, Lourdes Suarez. We would be happy to send you another copy, provide
you with a link to the online version of the survey, or take your responses over the
telephone should that be more convenient for you.
Thank you for your valuable input.

PROMPTING SCRIPT
Survey of Physician Clinical Time for Selected Services

A. Hello, my name is ____________ and I’m calling on behalf of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and
Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services. Is Dr. [ LAST NAME] available to come to
the phone?

SPEAKING TO R ..........................................

1

R NOT AVAILABLE.......................................

2

ASKS WHO IS CALLING ...............................

3 (GO TO H

(GO TO G

Go to Gatekeeper Script

Talking to the RESPONDENT:
B. (IF R just came to phone: Hello, my name is ____________) I’m calling from a health research
organization called Social & Scientific Systems. We’re conducting a study for the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation. We recently sent you a questionnaire for the Survey of Clinical Time for
Selected Services.
C. Do you recall receiving it?
YES ........................................................ 1
NO ........................................................

2

D. Have you had the opportunity to review the information?
YES ........................................................ 1
NO ........................................................

2

(GO TO F)

E. By what date do you think you can complete the survey?
WILL SEND ...............................................
ALREADY SENT ........................................

3 (Record date -Go to Closing 2)
4 (Record date -Go to Closing 2)

F. The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) has contracted with Social & Scientific
Systems its partner the Urban Institute to gather information on physician time use patterns for selected
clinical services. The results will help ASPE and other policymakers better understand how health care is

delivered and the quality of the clinical time estimates that underlie the Medicare Fee Schedule.
([PHYSICIAN] Your participation is very important in representing physicians from a diverse range of
specialties.
There are several ways that you can complete the questionnaire—either online, over the telephone, or
on a hard copy questionnaire. Which way would you prefer?
If you’d like to complete the questionnaire over the phone, I can do that with you now or we can make
an appointment for another time. It should take only about 20 minutes.
-

(If no,) I would like to re-send you the questionnaire

SEND LINK TO WEB SURVEY ................................. 1. GET EMAIL ADDRESS, EXPECTED
COMPLETION DATE, END CALL
(closing 1)
RE-SEND QUESTIONNAIRE .................................. 1

CONFIRM ADDRESS, EXPECTED
COMPLETION DATE, END CALL
(closing 1)

DO INTERVIEW NOW ........................................... 2

SWITCH TO HARD-COPY OF THE
QUESTIONNAIRE

NO, NOT NOW ..................................................... 3

SET CB OR APPT TIME, END CALL

CLOSING1: Thank you for your help. We will re-mail the survey questionnaire in the next couple of
days.
CLOSING2: Thank you for sending the information. If we haven’t received the completed form in the
next couple of weeks we’ll give you a call back. [END CALL]
CLOSING3: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. We appreciate your help.

GATEKEEPER Script:
G. When would be a good time to reach (RESPONDENT)?

(RECORD CALLBACK TIME OR MAKE APPOINTMENT) (END CALL)

H. I’m calling from a health research organization called Social & Scientific Systems. We’re conducting a
study for the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Some materials about the study were
recently sent to [RESPONDENT]. I am calling to follow up. Is this the correct number to reach
[RESPONDENT]?
IF YES:
Is [RESPONDENT] available now?
IF YES: [WITH RESPONDENT ON THE PHONE, GO TO Respondent script- B]
IF NO: When would be a good time to reach (RESPONDENT)?
(RECORD CALLBACK TIME OR MAKE APPOINTMENT) (END CALL)

IF NO:
Do you know [RESPONDENT]?
IF YES: Could you give me a number where I can reach [RESPONDENT]?
IF YES: RECORD NEW NUMBER – THANK INFORMANT - END CALL
If the contact refuses to give a number, ask them to have the
respondent call (TOLL-FREE LINE) so that we may discuss this study.
When [RESPONDENT] calls, please ask them to refer to study number
[ID #]
THANK INFORMANT – END CALL.
IF NO: Thank you for your time (END CALL)