The AOA is very appreciative of those optometrists who took the time to participate in this joint venture. Optometry’s response rate has been very high – 123% completed responses. Please see the attached for additional information. If you receive a survey in the future, we would ask that you fill it out. Thank you very much for participating.
| Specialty/Profession | Gallup Useable Completes | Dmrkynetec Full Completes | Total Completes | Desired Completes Responses | % Complete | Total Number of Responses (includes partial completes) |
| Allergy and Immunology | 16 | 96 | 112 | 100 | 112% | 162 |
| Anesthesiology | 15 | 73 | 88 | 155 | 57% | 133 |
| Audiologist | 11 | 78 | 89 | 100 | 89% | 139 |
| Cardiology | 3 | 16 | 19 | 140 | 14% | 36 |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery | 13 | 39 | 52 | 100 | 52% | 89 |
| Chiropractor | 37 | 38 | 75 | 100 | 75% | 83 |
| Clinical Psychology | 8 | 23 | 31 | 50 | 62% | 37 |
| Clinical Social Work | 7 | 29 | 36 | 50 | 72% | 59 |
| Colon & Rectal Surgery | 39 | 66 | 105 | 100 | 105% | 136 |
| Dermatology | 12 | 53 | 65 | 100 | 65% | 102 |
| Emergency Medicine | 2 | 33 | 35 | 125 | 28% | 55 |
| Endocrinology | 1 | 31 | 32 | 100 | 32% | 56 |
| Family Medicine | 17 | 92 | 109 | 275 | 40% | 160 |
| Gastroenterology | 12 | 29 | 41 | 100 | 41% | 64 |
| General Practice | 3 | 24 | 27 | 100 | 27% | 41 |
| General Surgery | 16 | 41 | 57 | 115 | 50% | 104 |
| Geriatrics | 7 | 40 | 47 | 100 | 47% | 81 |
| Hand Surgery | 1 | 101 | 102 | 100 | 102% | 135 |
| Internal Medicine | 6 | 100 | 106 | 350 | 30% | 156 |
| Interventional Pain Medicine | 5 | 65 | 70 | 100 | 70% | 100 |
| Interventional Radiology | 0 | 47 | 47 | 100 | 47% | 86 |
| Medical Oncology | 4 | 18 | 22 | 100 | 22% | 37 |
| Nephrology | 9 | 31 | 40 | 100 | 40% | 64 |
| Neurology | 10 | 33 | 43 | 100 | 43% | 75 |
| Neurosurgery | 17 | 57 | 74 | 100 | 74% | 121 |
| Nuclear Medicine | 3 | 26 | 29 | 100 | 29% | 71 |
| Obstetrics/Gynecology | 12 | 63 | 75 | 175 | 43% | 112 |
| Ophthalmology | 10 | 81 | 91 | 100 | 91% | 145 |
| Optometry | 29 | 94 | 123 | 100 | 123% | 134 |
| Oral Surgery (Dentist only) | 39 | 61 | 100 | 100 | 100% | 107 |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | 8 | 40 | 48 | 100 | 48% | 76 |
| Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy | 30 | 5 | 35 | 50 | 70% | 57 |
| Otolaryngology | 3 | 60 | 63 | 100 | 63% | 116 |
| Pain Medicine | 4 | 28 | 32 | 100 | 32% | 50 |
| Pathology | 27 | 48 | 75 | 100 | 75% | 123 |
| Pediatrics | 17 | 91 | 108 | 200 | 54% | 166 |
| Physical Medicine and Rehab | 11 | 55 | 66 | 100 | 66% | 104 |
| Physical Therapy | 23 | 61 | 84 | 100 | 84% | 129 |
| Plastic Surgery | 7 | 44 | 51 | 100 | 51% | 77 |
| Podiatry | 26 | 96 | 122 | 100 | 122% | 145 |
| Psychiatry | 7 | 67 | 74 | 185 | 40% | 107 |
| Pulmonary Disease | 3 | 51 | 54 | 100 | 54% | 87 |
| Radiation Oncology | 1 | 58 | 59 | 100 | 59% | 82 |
| Radiology | 9 | 60 | 69 | 190 | 36% | 105 |
| Registered Dieticians | 11 | 43 | 54 | 100 | 54% | 71 |
| Reproductive Endocrinology | 11 | 31 | 42 | 100 | 42% | 68 |
| Rheumatology | 6 | 64 | 70 | 100 | 70% | 100 |
| Sleep Medicine | 9 | 43 | 52 | 100 | 52% | 81 |
| Spine Surgery | 7 | 25 | 32 | 100 | 32% | 52 |
| Urology | 20 | 36 | 56 | 100 | 56% | 92 |
| Vascular Surgery | 7 | 60 | 67 | 100 | 67% | 99 |
| Total | 611 | 2,644 | 3,255 | 5,860 | 56% | 4,493 |
For the first time in nearly a decade, the American Optometric Association (AOA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and more than 70 other health care professional organizations, have worked together to coordinate a comprehensive multi-specialty survey of America's physician practices. The survey will collect up-to-date characteristics of thousands of physician practices from virtually all specialties, and be used in efforts to positively influence national decision makers to ensure accurate and fair representation for all physicians and patients.
Getting our nation's policy-makers to understand today's landscape and the requirements for care is critical. These data will allow medicine to articulate the challenges of running a practice that provides expert patient care, while operating a business that is sustainable. The study results will not only help in the short-term but will allow future generations of doctors to continue providing superior care to their patients.
One particularly important section of the study pertains to practice expenses and the amounts that are attributable to you. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have indicated that the results of this study will be used to help determine physician payment. Please encourage your staff to make this information available as the survey's success depends on accurate and complete data. This information will remain confidential. The survey firm, Dmrkynetec, will not identify any individuals or entities participating in this research.
Dmrkynetec, a survey firm with extensive experience in the area of physician practice finance, has been retained to administer the survey. Dmrkynetec will contact randomly selected physicians and practice managers in order to collect their confidential responses. Please watch for this survey and complete it thoroughly and accurately. Do your part to represent our profession.