Chapter 1.2, Problem 20P

Sampling Methods: Health Care Modern Managed Hospitals (MMH) is a national for-profit chain of hospitals. Management want to survey patients discharged this past year to obtain patient satisfaction profiles. It wishes to use a sample of such patients. Several sampling techniques are described below. Categorize each technique as simple random sample, stratified sample, systematic sample, cluster sample, or convenience sample.

(a) Obtain a list of patients discharged from all MMH facilities. Divide the patients according in length of hospital stay (2 days or less, 3-7 days, 8-14 days, more than 14 days). Draw simple random samples from each group.

(b) Obtain lists of patients discharged from all MMH facilities. Number these patients, and then use a random-number table to obtain the sample.

(c) Randomly select some MMH facilities from each of five geographic regions, and then include all the patients on the discharge lists of the selected hospitals.

(d) At the beginning of the year, instruct each MMH facility to survey every 500th patient discharged.

(e) Instruct each MMH facility to survey 10 discharged patients this week and send in the results.