Practical Approaches to Designing and Conducting
Surveys for Quality Management
Teresa RichardTexas Department of Aging and
Disability Services2006
DADSTexas Department of Aging and
Disability Services (DADS)
• Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
• Texas Department of Human Services
• Texas Department on Aging
Grant Award• Grant Award - $500,000• Awarded by Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS)• September 30, 2003 – September 29,
2006• Texas one of 19 states
Task Force• Quality Assurance and Quality
Improvement (QA/QI) Task Force• Convened in December 2003• Help DADS to develop and implement the
goals of the grant • Members include self-advocates, family
members of people with disabilities, representatives of advocacy groups, providers, and community MHMR centers
QA/QI Task Force Members
Goal 1• Research and develop a
methodology or tool that accurately reflects waiver participants’ experiences, and measures participants’ achievement of their goals and aspirations
Goal 1 Activities• Task Force members reviewed
eight survey tools• The National Core Indicators (NCI)
tool was chosen• Task Force members developed
six additional questions relating to self-determination
DADS Long Term Care Programs
• Operating agency for Long Term Care programs for older Texans and people with disabilities
• Leveraged existing funds used for Nursing Facility Long Term Care Quality Reviews
• Amended Rider language to include long term care programs in addition to nursing facilities
Conducting the Surveys for 2005
• Amended existing contract with vendor
• Interviewers were Registered Nurses
• Future survey projects will use competitive bidding process and expand recruitment to LVNs and Social Workers
Interviews• Face-to-face interviews with people 18
years of age and older who receive DADS’ Medicaid waiver and Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR) Program Services
• Children/Family Mail Surveys for families of children under 18 years of age who receive services in DADS programs
Survey Tools• National Core Indicators Consumer
Survey• Developed by the Human Services
Research Institute• Used for face-to-face interviews • Four domains: consumer
outcomes; system performance; health, welfare, and rights; self-determination
Survey Tools• National Core Indicators Children
Family Survey• Used for mail surveys• English and Spanish versions• Used Dillman’s method for
mail surveys
Survey Tools• Participant Experience Survey
(Elderly/Disabled)• Developed by MEDSTAT Group, Inc. for the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services• Used in face-to-face interviews• Five domains: access to care; choice and
control; respect/dignity; community integration/inclusion; and self-determination
Survey Tool Questions• Task Force members developed
six additional questions relating to self-determination
• Received permission and assistance from the developers of the tools to pilot questions
• HSRI to consider adding questions to survey for all states
Waivers• NCI Consumer Survey
• Home and Community-Based Services• Texas Home Living• Deaf Blind – Multiple Disabilities• Community Living Assistance and Support
Services• Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with
Mental Retardation• Consolidated Waiver Program
Waivers• PES Survey
• Community Based Alternatives• Consolidated Waiver Program
• NCI Children Family Survey• All children under 18 in four of the
waiver programs
Sampling Methodology Face-to-Face
• Proportional sampling strategy used based on the number of people receiving services in each county by program
• Sample sizes valid at the 95% confidence level with a confidence interval of 5
Sampling MethodologyFace-to-Face
• Sampling Methodology• 254 counties in Texas• 54,000 people receiving services (2005)• 1,980 face-to-face interviews completed
• Sample size was determined by dividing the number of people in the county by the total number of people in the program multiplied by sample size needed for each program
Sampling MethodologyMail Surveys
• Mailed a survey to all families of children in the Medically Dependent Children Program (up to 21 years of age)
• Mailed surveys to families of children under age 18 and who live at home with their family in other waiver programs
• 2,060 surveys mailed• 800 returned (39%)
Sampling MethodologyMail Surveys
• Employed method known as the Total Design Method (TDM) developed by Don A. Dillman
http://www.sesrc.wsu.edu/dillman/
• Used a three-phased mail out approach• Introduction letter• Cover letter, survey, addressed/stamped return
envelope• Reminder letter• Used green paper for visual appeal
Interviewer Recruiting/Training
• Vendor recruited RNs statewide through screening and interviews
• Interviewers attended full day of training in Austin, Texas
• Training was conducted by • Sarah Taub from Human Services
Research Institute• Sara Galantowicz from MEDSTAT
Group, Inc.
Training• Training (con’t)
• DADS staff included training on process for reporting suspected instances of abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• Task Force members attended training and provided insight on self-determination questions
• Mock interviews conducted with self-advocates
• Provided Disability Etiquette training• Videotaped for subsequent trainings
Results• Included demographics about
participants• Indicators calculated for each program• Quality indicators calculated based on
the responses to the survey questions• Published reports for both face-to-face
and mail surveys• Summary reports available on the DADS
website (www.dads.state.tx.us)
Results• Results reviewed by Task Force
members and DADS internal workgroup
• Both groups identified top areas for improvement and developed strategies and recommendations
• Personal Choice and Life Decisions• Self Advocacy
Next Steps• Received approval from the
Commissioner of DADS to move forward with recommendations and strategies
• Continue annual face-to-face and mail surveys to identify trends over time
• Expand number of programs surveyed• Work with other internal and external
entities to provide data analysis
Next Steps• Data Mart
• Design and development of a Data Mart that will compile information regarding program provider performance and participant outcomes in DADS’ programs
• Will use survey data in tandem with Data Mart reports as tools to promote quality management