They also tell us that most surveys have no clear objective and no plan on what will be done with the results. Surveys, they say, are often exercises in data collection. The first step in doing research is to write a clear measurable objective. That objective should be linked back to your mission statement and your strategic plan. Objectives must be measurable.
Time frames help.
One of the strategies to reach this objective may be to do a survey of physicians before and after you implement a process aimed at getting physician referrals. The second step is to specify alternative actions we may take to reach our objective. We should look at what we have tried in the past and what other organizations are doing nearby and far away. Do library searches to get ideas from published research reports. This is work that needs to be done before we think about a survey.