The trouble with surveys

The first problem with surveys is that people lie.

I know I do.

In fact, that's one of the few places where you can get away with fibbing and there are no repercussions.

In general lying is not a good strategy.

You tell a lie and then you have to tell another to cover up the first. Then another, and of course another one after that.

Before you know it, you can't remember who you told what lie to, and the whole thing collapses on your head...

On a survey you're home free!

But surveys get tossed around as though they mean something.

I was reading an interview with the new president of the AMA on Ezra Klein's Wonkblog at the Washington Post website.

The article has a link to a survey about what doctors think about Obamacare. What doctors think about Obamacare should be of some import, so I was keen to have a look.

There on page 12 of the report from the Deloitte Center For Health Solutions you'll find they sent the survey to 16,537 doctors.

501 took the trouble to fill it out and send it back.

I'm guessing the other 16,036 were too busy.

But those 501 are presented as though they speak for the medical profession in America.

I'd rather know what the guys who were too busy think.