Completion rates in feedback surveys

Completion rates bring insights into how effectively your surveys engage patients, and how well they navigate through to the end. They indicate the percentage of respondents who finish the survey out of those who started it. High completion rates suggest that respondents find the survey manageable and engaging, while low rates can indicate potential issues with the survey's design or length.

How are completion rates measured?

To calculate your completion rate, use the following formula:

Completion Rate = (no. of completed surveys/ no. of started surveys) x 100

For example, if 150 patients start the survey and 120 complete it, your completion rate would be:

Completion Rate = (120/150) x 100 = 80% 

What can we deduce from completion rates?

High completion rates indicate that the survey is engaging and relevant to the respondents.

This also suggests that the survey is easy to navigate and not overly lengthy or complex, and reflects well on the survey design — implying that the questions are clear and the layout is user-friendly.

Low completion rates may indicate that respondents lose interest or find the survey irrelevant midway through. What this could also suggest is that the survey is too long, confusing, or contains technical issues. In general, low completion rates are a clear sign there’s a need to reassess survey design, question clarity, and length.

Completion rates are important because they carry an impact on the quality and reliability of the data collected. High completion rates ensure that the feedback represents the full range of patient experiences; conversely, low completion rates can result in incomplete data, potentially skewing results and limiting the utility of the feedback.

Trends in completion rates, monitoring and improvements

A decline in completion rates may point to issues such as survey fatigue, increased complexity, or technical problems. Recognizing these trends early helps address root causes by revising the survey content, enhancing navigation, or providing clearer instructions.

Changes that resonate well with patients in most cases are shortening the survey, improving question clarity, or enhancing the user interface.

A rise in completion rates usually reflects improvements in survey design and relevance. Increased completion rates typically lead to more robust data, enabling more targeted improvements in patient care.

The InsiderCX platform allows you to track completion rates in real time and analyze trends to optimize your surveys — by implementing one or more of the following suggestions:

• Simplify surveys: Keep surveys concise and to the point; focus on essential questions to reduce respondent burden.
• Enhance usability: Ensure the survey is user-friendly using clear instructions and an intuitive layout.
• Personalize surveys: Tailor surveys to the respondent’s experience, making the questions more relevant and engaging.
• Test and iterate: Regularly test surveys with a small group before full deployment to identify and fix potential issues.
• Provide progress indicators: Show respondents their progress through the survey to motivate them to complete it.

And an Insider tip: analyze which parts of the survey see the most drop-offs, and then make targeted adjustments to improve completion. 

Conclusion

Completion rates are a vital metric for feedback surveys. Gathering comprehensive and reliable data leads to better insights and more informed decisions; understanding and improving completion rates ultimately enhances patient engagement and satisfaction, improving the quality of care and services provided.