Dear Colleague,

I am conducting an IRB-approved study to estimate the use and usability of tools for creating patient encounter summaries.  I would appreciate your participation in this study. I need you to participate, whether you've used these tools or not. If you don't see patients, please fill out the beginning of the survey. There will be an obvious stop point for you early in the process.

Participation will involve answering a short Internet survey (about 15 minutes).  We will take every precaution to maintain your confidentiality. The survey information will reside on a secured server and will be stripped of unique personal identifiers before data analysis. If for some reason you need to answer the questions in stages, that's fine. The survey tool will allow you to log back in and continue where you left off until you have completed the survey. If you would prefer a paper copy of the survey, please send a message to kjohnson@jhmi.edu, and I will send you one.

You will not benefit directly from participating in this study. However, in appreciation for your participation, after you complete the survey we will  mail you a gift certificate redeemable at most Starbucks* cafés or stands. At the end of the survey, you will be prompted to send us your address information, which will be forwarded to me separately from the survey, so that I can send you your gift certificate.

Completing the survey will constitute consent to participate in the studydescribed above. Thank you in advance for your participation. Your input is greatly appreciated.

TO ACCESS THE SURVEY, go to http://orchid.hosts.jhmi.edu/sdesurvey and log in using your email address (preferably the one you listed for this working group) and the password "amia." The survey is self explanatory.  

If you have any questions about the project, please call Kevin Johnson

(410) 614-2752, (kjohnson@jhmi.edu).

Thank you, very much, for your time and support.

Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics and Biomedical Information Sciences

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

410-614-2752

FAX: 410-502-5440

kjohnson@jhmi.edu