Hi, all. I'm in need of some help/advice involving research. I'm currently working on my dissertation, which involves research on integrated healthcare. For my research project, I'm recruiting physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to complete a short, 5-minute survey. I haven't had much luck with recruitment so far and still need about 100 participants. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on avenues (preferably free or low-cost) for recruitment with this population? Any guidance is greatly appreciated!
Recruitment Help - Primary Care Providers
- Thread starter Sk1245
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What have you already tried?
I've tried joining an integrated healthcare association (CFHA) and distributing my research link through their listserv, informally distributing my survey through professionals/graduates from my program, contacting physicians directly through volunteered email addresses, contacting researchers who have published studies about integrated healthcare, and I've tried connecting with the VA for research (somewhat successfully, but will take much longer than anticipated with no guaranteed outcomes). I've also tried reaching out to healthcare professionals personally for advice, but I haven't had much luck there either.
What are the incentives like?
This is a notoriously difficult population to get to do <anything> extra unless it directly benefits them or their patients (and even then it can be an uphill battle). Do you have a physician collaborator? If so, it might help to send communication in their name if they are amenable. If no and you have an attached medical school, I would start reaching out to people there and/or have someone higher up the food chain set up some meetings with folks there.
As time-consuming as it is, showing up in-person at practices and/or cold-calling may be an effective strategy.
This is a notoriously difficult population to get to do <anything> extra unless it directly benefits them or their patients (and even then it can be an uphill battle). Do you have a physician collaborator? If so, it might help to send communication in their name if they are amenable. If no and you have an attached medical school, I would start reaching out to people there and/or have someone higher up the food chain set up some meetings with folks there.
As time-consuming as it is, showing up in-person at practices and/or cold-calling may be an effective strategy.
The only incentive I've offered so far is to follow-up with participants about the research results if they are interested. Since physicians/other PCPs have higher salaries offering a cash incentive didn't seem like it would be very helpful either.
I do not have a physician collaborator, but I will certainly look into this with my university's medical school. I can also try in-person/cold-calling recruitment efforts in my area. Thanks for the suggestions!
With cash incentives, they need to be high in this population but I didn't necessarily mean cash. Could be any number of things (think drug rep model).
Lack of a physician collaborator is a big issue. They will be able to tap their network. I would not try to do work like this without it.
Lack of a physician collaborator is a big issue. They will be able to tap their network. I would not try to do work like this without it.
Sanman
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Agreed with Ollie about them being a difficult population. Everyone wants 5 minutes and something signed. If you are going to do cash, I think a raffling off a gift card or something would be most feasible. Check with your IRB if you are offering cash incentives for them. Food, as mentioned, works wonders. Have you tried getting permission to attend a medical conference to solicit participation? They are more likely to be helpful when not in a clinical frame of mind.
That's a great idea. I will look into that. Thanks!
D
deleted343839
There is an empirical literature on recruiting physicians as research participants. It's a tough to reach group. My advice (as Sanman suggested) is to get someone's permission to station yourself where a lot of your target population congregates (eg, a local medical or nursing society meeting) and make it physically easy for people milling around to quickly fill out your survey. National conferences will probably make you register as a vendor but local meetings are usually easier to get into. Make little gift bags or other inexpensive tokens of appreciation to carry with you or display near you, something that will draw people's eyes. A cookie and a bottle of water is still better than nothing.
You might also look at Don Dillman's book on the topic of survey research. I think there is a chapter (or section of a chapter) that covers this literature. It's a little out of date but that matters less with this population.
The AMA sells their membership list to people for surveys, but it's expensive. Your local medical society, on the other hand, might be more generous.
If you can get a few physicians/PAs/NPs to fill out the survey and suggest 2-3 of their colleagues as additional participants, you might snowball and hit your target n more quickly.
Finally, consider collaborating with a physician who is academically oriented if you know of someone. If you can find such a collaborator, have the survey invitation come from them. Physicians will respond to other physicians more readily than an invitation from a graduate student.
You might also look at Don Dillman's book on the topic of survey research. I think there is a chapter (or section of a chapter) that covers this literature. It's a little out of date but that matters less with this population.
The AMA sells their membership list to people for surveys, but it's expensive. Your local medical society, on the other hand, might be more generous.
If you can get a few physicians/PAs/NPs to fill out the survey and suggest 2-3 of their colleagues as additional participants, you might snowball and hit your target n more quickly.
Finally, consider collaborating with a physician who is academically oriented if you know of someone. If you can find such a collaborator, have the survey invitation come from them. Physicians will respond to other physicians more readily than an invitation from a graduate student.
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Agree with physically showing up at talks with paper surveys. Nobody is going to click on your link, we all get way too much spam. Is your school connected to a medical school, or is there one nearby? If so I would find out when/where they have grand rounds for the specialty of your interest (family medicine? Internal medicine?) And stake out a spot near the door with your surveys. If people can fill them out quickly and hand them back right there you may do ok.
All of these suggestions are very helpful. Thank you all! My university does have a medical school, but it is in a different location. I'm looking into who to contact to get connected with the medical school or a physician collaborator. Again, thanks for all of your suggestions!
