Data collection outcomes comparing paper forms with PDA forms in an office-based patient survey

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Informatics
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• Data collection methods in healthcare surveys significantly impact data quality and completeness.
• Traditional paper forms and newer electronic data capture (EDC) methods using handheld devices present distinct advantages and disadvantages.
• Evaluating these methods is crucial for optimizing patient interview surveys in clinical research settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the completeness of data collection between paper forms and electronic forms on handheld computers.
• To assess the effectiveness of these methods in an office-based patient interview survey within the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network.

Main Methods:

• 19 medical assistants and nurses administered surveys on pneumococcal immunizations to older adults.
• Participants were randomly assigned to either paper forms or electronic forms on handheld computers.
• Multilevel analyses adjusted for patient characteristics and practice clustering were used to evaluate data completeness.

Main Results:

• Paper forms had a higher return rate (94%) compared to electronic forms (82%) due to technical difficulties and lost devices.
• However, returned electronic forms had significantly fewer errors of omission (3%) than paper forms (35%).
• Missing survey items were substantially lower for electronic forms (0.04%) versus paper forms (3.5%).

Conclusions:

• While electronic forms on handheld computers offered more complete data from returned surveys, their overall superiority was undermined by lower return rates.
• Technical issues and device loss/theft were major limitations for handheld electronic data collection.
• Future electronic solutions may involve tablet computers or cell phones with direct wireless web connectivity for improved reliability.