Evaluation of ARRA Comparative Effectiveness Research Dissemination Contract Efforts

Cover Letter

<DATE>

<FIRSTNAME> <LASTNAME>

<ADDRESS1>

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<CITY>, <STATE> <ZIP>

Dear <TITLE> <LASTNAME>:

You have been randomly selected to participate in a survey sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ is a federal agency under the US Department of Health and Human Services charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. The purpose of the survey is to learn how clinicians use health care information resources to make treatment decisions for their patients. The results of the survey will be used to inform AHRQ's efforts to develop and disseminate unbiased, evidence-based information to patients, doctors, and others involved in health care decisionmaking. Your participation is very important for making this survey valid, meaningful, and influential.

We invite you to participate in this important survey by filling out the enclosed questionnaire and return it using the postage-paid envelope as soon as possible. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. We realize that your time is extremely valuable, so we have included $50 with this package in appreciation for your time and effort given to the study. The survey is being conducted by Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle) on behalf of AHRQ.

Your responses to the survey will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law, including AHRQ's confidentiality statute, 42 USC 299c-3(c). Battelle will use your name and contact information only for the purpose of conducting this survey and will not publish it in any report, nor will it ever share that information with AHRQ or any other organization.

We hope you will help us with this important study and respond as soon as possible. If you have any questions about how to respond to the survey, please call Judith Berkowitz of Battelle at 1-866-846-9021. If you have questions about the purpose of this study, please contact the study's project director, Dr. Sari Siegel of IMPAQ International, at 855-237-3330.

Sincerely yours,

Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D

Director

Focus Group Interest Form

As a follow-up to this survey, we will be conducting telephone discussion groups with clinicians to hear your thoughts about specific health care information resources designed to support medical decision-making and to get your insights on interesting findings from the survey. The results of these discussions will be used to inform AHRQ's efforts to develop and disseminate unbiased, evidence-based information to patients, doctors, and others involved in health care decisionmaking.

If you are interested in participating in one of the telephone discussion groups, please fill in the information below and return using the attached postage-paid envelope. We will send you an invitation at a later date to find a time when you can participate. There will be several discussions groups scheduled for different times so that we can fit your busy schedule.

Please indicate if you would like to participate in the telephone discussion groups:

__ Yes, I would like to participate

__ No, I would NOT like to participate

If you checked "Yes" above, please provide your preferred mailing address and other contact information so that we can send you an invitation and schedule you for one of the discussion groups.

Preferred Mailing Address:

Name _________________________________

Address 1_______________________________

Address 2_______________________________

City ______________State_____ Zip _________

Preferred telephone numbers (in case we are not able to reach you by mail):

Please check all that apply:

__ Office   (________) _____ -- ____________

__ Mobile (________) _____ -- ____________

__ Fax      (________) _____ -- ____________

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