Attachment E: Topic Development_Policymaker Script

Script for policymaker interview [topic development]

Topic of interview: [TOPIC]

Intended audience: [policymaker]

Location: [enter location]

Date of the interview: [enter date]

Testing materials

• Audio recording equipment, speaker phone

• Interviewer clock

• Materials emailed to policymaker 1 day before interview:

  • Consent form

• Packet of testing materials for interviewer

  • Informed consent form

Procedures for obtaining informed consent

Policymaker will be sent an informed consent form before the interview. At start of interview, interviewer will ask policymaker if he/she has any questions about the consent form and if agrees to be interviewed and audiotaped.

Interview goals

This information product being developed focuses on treatments for [CONDITION, TREATMENT].

Policymaker will be contacted by telephone. Interviewer will ask policymaker about decision making and evidence-based information in order to gain input for what the guide could contain and how it should be organized.

Policymaker interview (30 minutes total)

Time in minutes for each section	Topic	Elapsed time at end of section
5	Introduction (welcome; background; ground rules; warm-up)	5
10	Decision-Making	15
10	Evidence-Based Information	25
5	Closing	30

Introduction (start at _____ – 5 min – end at _____)

Welcome and Background—explain purpose of the interview

• Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. My name is [NAME] and I’ll be talking with you today. I work for [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Also, on the phone with me is [NAME], who will be taking notes.

• We are currently working with the Eisenberg Center at the Baylor School of Medicine to develop a guide that summarizes the evidence of treatments for [CONDITION]. This project is sponsored by AHRQ, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

• Based on the information we get from you and others we will make recommendations to AHRQ about how to present the information.

• Did you read the consent form that was sent to you? Do you have any questions?

Go over ground rules.

• As a reminder, everything you tell us will be confidential. To protect your privacy, we won’t connect your name with anything that you say.

• Is it OK if I audiotape this interview today? {Turn on recording equipment.}

Warm-Up

I would like to begin with a couple of general background questions.

• What is your role/position and responsibilities?

• How many years have you been in this job/position?

• How would you describe your organization/healthcare system?

  • Which stakeholders do you represent or interact with most often?

  • What types of decision making problems you most often encounter?

Decision making (10 min – end at ______)

Thank you. I would like to talk about policy issues related to [CONDITION].

• What are the most significant issues related to [CONDITION] that you expect to face/or expect policymakers (or administrators, insurers) like you to face?

• Is there specific information related to [CONDITION] not obtainable/needed by policymakers (for either current or future anticipated needs)?

• Do you have any suggestions on how to fill those gaps?

• What factors would you consider when making policy decisions regarding [CONDITION]?

  • What information would help you with policy decision making? (If necessary, give examples such as guidelines, algorithms, cost to patients,).

Evidence-based Information (10 min – end at ___)

• Are you familiar with the term “evidence-based medicine/information” ?

  • (If yes,) What does that mean to you?

  • Do you use evidence-based information for policy decision making?

  • How is your decision for recommending a particular intervention /policy affected when the evidence is unclear or insufficient?

• Are there key sources you rely on for evidence-based information?

  • Are there organizations that you are affiliated with that provide this type of information?

• What do you think is the most useful format for receiving evidence-based information?

• Are you familiar with the term “comparative effectiveness research” ?

  • (If yes) What does that mean to you?

  • How is comparative effectiveness research the same or different from evidence-based information?

  • Do you use comparative effectiveness research for policy decision making? If so, how?

• What kinds of evidence-based information would be helpful to you in making policy decisions about [CONDITION]? (If necessary, give examples such as cost to patient)

• What can AHRQ do to promote the use of evidence-based information among policymakers?

Closing (5 min – end at ______)

Before we end, I’d like to give you chance to share any additional thoughts or comments about the information we talked about today.

Is there anything else you would like to add that you didn’t have a chance to say during our discussion today, or something that we didn’t talk about that you wish we had?

Thank you very much for participating in this discussion today. We appreciate your time.

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