%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications Inc.
%V 17
%N 7
%P e189
%T Allowing Physicians to Choose the Value of Compensation for Participation in a Web-Based Survey: Randomized Controlled Trial
%A Turnbull,Alison E
%A O'Connor,Cristi L
%A Lau,Bryan
%A Halpern,Scott D
%A Needham,Dale M
%+ School of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 1830 E Monument St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States, 1 4109552190, turnbull@jhmi.edu
%K data collection
%K monetary incentives
%K cash
%K physicians
%K electronic questionnaire
%K survey design
%K response rate
%D 2015
%7 29.07.2015
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Survey response rates among physicians are declining, and determining an appropriate level of compensation to motivate participation poses a major challenge. Objective: To estimate the effect of permitting intensive care physicians to select their preferred level of compensation for completing a short Web-based survey on physician (1) response rate, (2) survey completion rate, (3) time to response, and (4) time spent completing the survey. Methods: A total of 1850 US intensivists from an existing database were randomized to receive a survey invitation email with or without an Amazon.com incentive available to the first 100 respondents.  The incentive could be instantly redeemed for an amount chosen by the respondent, up to a maximum of US $50. Results: The overall response rate was 35.90% (630/1755).  Among the 35.4% (111/314) of eligible participants choosing the incentive, 80.2% (89/111) selected the maximum value.  Among intensivists offered an incentive, the response was 6.0% higher (95% CI 1.5-10.5, P=.01), survey completion was marginally greater (807/859, 94.0% vs 892/991, 90.0%; P=.06), and the median number of days to survey response was shorter (0.8, interquartile range [IQR] 0.2-14.4 vs 6.6, IQR 0.3-22.3; P=.001), with no difference in time spent completing the survey. Conclusions: Permitting intensive care physicians to determine compensation level for completing a short Web-based survey modestly increased response rate and substantially decreased response time without decreasing the time spent on survey completion. 
%M 26223821
%R 10.2196/jmir.3898
%U http://www.jmir.org/2015/7/e189/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3898
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26223821