What I love about surveys is the 'free text' boxes where cheeky dietitians write notes to me, unprompted. This one came through yesterday:
"Dear Santa, Can I have a computer program that I can data entry all assessments, client payments, PES statements, treatments taken, doctors letter, that also analyses my effectiveness and writes the letter back to the doctor? Then I'd like it to be compatible with ehealth and be able to access medicare and veterans affairs online claiming. I'm sure your up to it Santa."
Now, because this is an anonymous survey, I am not able to trace said cheeky colleague - but want to let her know, after laughing, this letter to Santa summarises very well EXACTLY what we are trying to do with MDP-O. And, I will be using this Santa letter for severe PR as we head in to a second round of recruitment. Oh, and of course will feature in the thesis somewhere ;)
I know what you are thinking, the requirements outlined in the letter to Santa sound pretty basic, minimum standards almost...so why hasn't this been done already? Here is a bit of background....
The primary care and community health sector is where people access GPs and the services of dietitians. This is different from the 'acute health sector' which is the hospitals and emergency services. What we know about spending in the 'health sector', thanks to the Productivity Commission, and affiliated agencies, is the acute (hospital) sector uses about half of the total health budget. And then, for a hospital, allied health - in total, use less than 1% of the total hospital budget.
So when you think about 'asking management for some $ to develop a system to record and report a dietitians effectiveness'...the potential 'return on investment' with so many competing projects....well, you'd be better telling your ideas to a stray cat. But you can't fault management really, on paper, and using your calculator, it makes 'good business sense'. It is this reasoning too that has probably led to having all professions, except doctors and nurses, being grouped together as 'allied health'.
Just to clarify, 'allied health' is the term used in the health sector to describe about fourteen professions, of which, dietitians are only one of these fourteen. So that reduces the 1% across fourteen professions to insignificant amounts (in the scheme of things) for one of those fourteen professions. You get the idea....and even if you don't.....here is the point of this blog coming up.....NOW...
When you are doing a survey, especially an anonymous one, put in whatever YOU think, YOUR vision, YOUR ideas, YOUR comments. From my end, as the researcher, it is these random comments and ideas that can sometimes change the focus, or open an alternative line of investigation. Surveys and interviews are one of few opportunities for researchers to understand YOUR needs as health professionals.
On a personal level, research has some less-fun bits; data entry being one of them. But when you are tackled to the ground with a random comment, it reminds you that every bit of your pain will, one day, contribute to less pain for colleagues. Gosh....something wet in my eye....I do have hay fever....so it could be that...
Epilogue
Researchers LOVE watching their response rate go up, and LOVE the contribution they get from their cohort - especially random suggestions.
Tips du jour:
1. If a survey comes your way, especially about your work, do it!
2. Tell the researcher everything - even if you hated the survey (tell them that too)
3. Going outside the brief is how discoveries are made
4. Santa is imaginary, MDP-O is not
Other blogs by me
[Series] Are dietitians effective?
Heads up GPs, we can save $billions together
Heads up GPs, we can save $billions together
[Other stuff]
