Pitfalls in Healthcare Surveys That Hurt Feedback Quality

Poorly designed surveys can cause anything from low response rates to inaccurate insights to frustrated patients who choose not to participate in future feedback requests.

While healthcare organizations often focus on what to include in a survey, it’s just as important to know what to avoid. Certain mistakes can skew responses and make the data unreliable. 

Let’s explore some of the biggest survey pitfalls and how to prevent them.

Making the survey too long

One of the fastest ways to lose respondents is to overload them with too many questions. Patients have limited time and patience — if a survey feels like a chore, they’re more likely to abandon it halfway through.

What to do instead: Keep surveys short and focused, prioritizing only the most essential questions. If additional insights are needed, opt for follow-up surveys or rotating questions over time rather than cramming everything into one.

Asking vague or unclear questions

A poorly worded question can lead to confusing or misleading responses. If patients don’t fully understand what’s being asked, they may skip the question or choose a random answer, reducing the reliability of your data.

What to do instead: Make every question clear, specific, and free from jargon. Instead of asking “Did you have a good experience?”, ask “How satisfied were you with the explanation of your treatment options?”

Using leading or biased language

Questions that push patients toward a certain response can create artificially positive (or negative) results, making the feedback less useful for actual improvements.

❌ “How much did you enjoy our customer service?”

✅ “How would you rate the level of customer service you received?”

What to do instead: Use neutral wording that allows patients to answer honestly, without assuming an experience was good or bad.

Overcomplicating response options

Rating scales should be logical, easy to understand, and consistent throughout the survey. If options change from 1–5 on one question to 1–10 on another, or if the scale labels aren’t intuitive, patients may get confused.

What to do instead: Stick to a single, consistent scale across all questions where applicable, and clearly define what each rating means (e.g., 1 = Poor, 5 = Excellent).

Not offering a “Not Applicable” option

Not every question applies to every patient. If forced to choose an answer that doesn’t reflect their experience, they might select a random response or abandon the survey entirely.

What to do instead: Include “Not Applicable” or “Prefer Not to Answer” options where needed, so patients can skip irrelevant questions without affecting data quality.

Asking for too much personal information

Patients may be reluctant to complete a survey if they feel they’re being asked for unnecessary personal details. This is especially true for questions about medical history, income, or personal beliefs that aren’t relevant to the feedback.

What to do instead: Only ask for personal information when absolutely necessary, and ensure that any required details comply with privacy regulations like GDPR.

Sending surveys at the wrong time

Timing plays a huge role in whether or not patients respond. Surveys sent too late after an appointment may result in foggy recollections, while those sent at inconvenient hours may simply be ignored.

What to do instead: Send surveys within 24–48 hours of the patient’s visit for the best recall, and schedule messages during optimal response times (such as mid-morning or early evening).

Not optimizing for mobile users

Most patients open surveys on their phones. If the format isn’t mobile-friendly, they won’t bother completing it. Tiny text, hard-to-click buttons, or too much scrolling will drive them away.

What to do instead: Ensure surveys are responsive and easy to complete on mobile devices. Use simple layouts, large buttons, and minimal typing requirements.

Failing to explain why feedback matters

If patients don’t understand why they’re being asked for feedback, they may assume their input won’t lead to real changes — which lowers participation rates.

What to do instead: Include a short message at the start of the survey explaining why feedback is important and how it will be used. You can also send a ‘thank you’ follow-up email or notice and share what actions have been taken based on the provided feedback.

Ignoring feedback trends

Collecting feedback is pointless if it doesn’t lead to action. If the same issues appear repeatedly in survey responses but nothing changes, patients will notice — and they’ll be less likely to respond in the future.

What to do instead: Regularly analyze patterns and trends in survey data, and take visible action on major concerns. Closing the feedback loop by communicating improvements based on patient input builds confidence and encourages future participation.

The takeaway

Healthcare surveys will provide invaluable insights only if they’re designed well and free from the common pitfalls. When done right, they increase participation, improve data quality, and make feedback a valuable part of patient care.

Make sure you respect patients’ time, make questions clear and relevant, and show that their input leads to real improvements. The goal for your surveys is to make them more than just data collection — into a powerful tool for driving meaningful change in healthcare experiences.