2024 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

2024 NAMCS Tracing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Provider Interview Component?

The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) has been conducted since 1973 and is the Nation’s foremost study of ambulatory care. In the past, NAMCS focused on visits made to non-federally employed office-based physicians who are primarily engaged in direct patient care and included an annual sample of visits to Community Health Centers (CHCs). In 2021, the sample of CHC visits was redesigned, and the NAMCS Health Center Component was launched. The new NAMCS Provider Interview Component was initially conducted for the first time in 2023 and represented a redesign of the physician sample. Specifically, the Provider Interview Component now focuses on the collection of information from non-federally employed ambulatory care providers (i.e., physicians and PAs (physician associates/physician assistants)) in the United States, who are primarily engaged in direct patient care. Patient information is no longer collected from a sample of visits, and survey information now focuses on the provider experience including topics such as telemedicine, EHR usage, and health equity.

Who is conducting the study?

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administers NAMCS. RTI International is acting as our designated data collection agent.

What kind of information is being collected?

The survey asks ambulatory care providers questions to help health services researchers and policy makers understand the changing characteristics of ambulatory health care in this country. Information collected on the providers’ experience includes topics such as telemedicine, electronic health record (EHR) usage, and health equity in the United States.

Will I be asked to provide patient information?

No, you will not be asked to provide patient information.

How long will it take me to complete the survey?

It is estimated to take about 30 minutes to complete the survey.

How or why was I selected to participate?

Providers who were asked to participate were randomly selected from national lists of physicians and advanced practice providers that are currently providing ambulatory care in the United States. Specifically, the name and contact information of physicians randomly selected to participate was drawn from the American Medical Association and the American Osteopathic Association masterfiles. The name and contact information of PAs was randomly drawn from the masterfile of the American Academy of Physician Associates.

Why should I participate in the NAMCS?

Your participation is vital to the success of NAMCS. When a provider refuses to participate, they will not be represented in the national description of ambulatory care being delivered throughout the United States. Because providers are randomly chosen to represent themselves and others in the same specialty and geographic region, choosing not to participate affects how this sample represents you and other providers similar to yourself.

Has the study been approved?

Yes. The NCHS Ethics Review Board (ERB) has reviewed and approved this study to be in compliance with NCHS Practices and Procedures. It is also approved by the Office of Management and Budget. Additional information about how NAMCS assures your confidentiality may be found here. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/ahcd_confidentiality.htm)

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, please call the National Center for Health Statistics’ ERB at (1-800) 223-8118 and say you are calling about Protocol #2021-03.

Under what authority does NCHS collect this information?

NAMCS is one of the National Health Care Surveys conducted by NCHS, all of which are authorized under Section 306(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242k).

Is participation mandatory?

No, participation in this survey is voluntary. You may stop participation at any time, and there are no penalties for nonparticipation. If you participate, you are giving consent for this Provider Interview Component Interview, and for your deidentified survey information to be available for future research by NCHS or other investigators. Any future use of your deidentified survey information is controlled and will only occur after successfully undergoing a rigorous review and approval process. We may also carry out additional health care research by linking your survey responses to administrative medical information and other related records. This process is also controlled and requires review and approval before any linked data can be accessed.

However, your participation is very important. If you choose not to participate, providers like you may be underrepresented in the survey and resulting national data. If you do not feel comfortable or cannot answer a specific question you may leave the question blank. However, there are some critical questions, which will be identified to you by the survey instrument if left blank.

Who can answer the questions?

The provider to whom the survey is addressed can answer the questions. However, if the provider is not available, a knowledgeable office staff member may also answer the questions on their behalf.

I forgot my Login ID and password to log into the survey. What do I do?

Please click the “Contact Us” button in the website header and follow the instructions shown to receive additional survey participation assistance.

Can I exit the survey and return later to complete any remaining questions?

Yes! As long as you did not yet press the Submit button, you can use your Login ID and password to reenter the questionnaire where you left off.

What if I provide medical care part-time, or I’m semi-retired?

Even if you provide care part-time, or are semi-retired, your responses are still valued! We would ask for you still to complete the questionnaire.

I submitted my responses via the web and clicked the “Submit” button, but I need to update a response and am unable to re-enter the web survey. What do I do?

Please click the “Contact Us” button in the website header and follow the instructions to receive additional survey participation assistance.

Are my responses confidential?

Yes! NCHS is legally bound to assure the confidentiality of all survey respondents. NAMCS data are deidentified before being released for research and do not include any provider identifying information.

We take your privacy very seriously. All information that relates to or describes identifiable characteristics of individuals, a practice, or an establishment will be used only for statistical purposes. NCHS staff, contractors, and agents will not disclose or release responses in identifiable form without the consent of the individual or establishment in accordance with section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m(d)) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (44 U.S.C 3561-3583). In accordance with CIPSEA, every NCHS employee, contractor, and agent has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you. In addition to the above cited laws, NCHS complies with the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. §§ 151 and 151 note) which protects Federal information systems from cybersecurity risks by screening their networks.

For additional information on the confidentiality of the NAMCS Provider Interview Component data, please go to the National Health Care Survey’s Privacy Protection page (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/ahcd_confidentiality.htm)

or specific questions about how NCHS protects the information participants provide, please contact:

NCHS Confidentiality Office
Telephone Number: 1-888-642-4159
Email: nchsconfidentiality@cdc.gov

Is there any benefit to me participating?

There are no direct benefits to providers; however, you will be able to contribute to the national description of ambulatory care. Participation will result in more reliable data, which will permit researchers, including other health care providers, to better assess the current state of ambulatory medical care utilization and provision.

How will the data be used?

NAMCS data are used to statistically describe the characteristics of ambulatory care provider experiences. The data elements include topics such as telemedicine, EHR usage, and health equity, among others. These data are widely used by health care researchers, medical schools, policy analysts, congressional staff, the news media, and many others to improve our knowledge of medical practice patterns. The data are disseminated in the form of government reports, scientific journal articles, and microdata files.

Where can I find the statistics produced by this survey?

Data from NAMCS are edited to remove all personal identifiers and any other confidential information. Edited public use data files must be approved for release by the NCHS Disclosure Review Board and are released to the public through the NAMCS website. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/datasets_documentation_related.htm)

NCHS also publishes many web tables, reports, and factsheets using NAMCS data. A list of all these available products can be found here: (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/ahcd_products.htm)

What should I expect if I am selected to participate in the NAMCS Provider Interview Component?

If selected to participate, you will receive a NAMCS invitation letter from the NCHS Director inviting you to participate in the survey, along with an introductory email. Depending on when you are able to respond, you may receive additional introductory emails, invitation letters, or a survey packet that includes a paper questionnaire. This component of NAMCS can be completed through the web survey or mailed paper questionnaire. Participation will only take about 30 minutes. It can be completed by the provider to whom the survey was addressed or (if the provider is not available) a knowledgeable member of his/her office staff.

What if I have additional questions, recommendations, or issues regarding this survey that need to be resolved?

If you have questions or comments related to participation, please click the “Contact Us” button in the website header.

If you have any questions about NAMCS that are not related to participation, please contact:

Planning and Operations Branch
National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
301-458-4600
https://www.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form