Access to the APSA India Survey System is a key membership benefit, enabling members to collect data on a wide range of clinically important topics. Results from these surveys are frequently shared at national and international meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals, making them a valuable resource for improving clinical practice and patient outcomes.

APSA India is committed to ensuring that all surveys conducted through this system are relevant, well-structured, and meaningful. Every submission is reviewed to avoid duplication of recent work and to ensure its potential impact on clinical practice.

Authors of completed surveys are required to summarise their findings and key insights in a structured report, which is then archived and made available to benefit the wider APSA India community.

To support the sustainability of this initiative, a small non-refundable administrative fee (₹1000) is charged at the time of submission, along with a deposit for surveys approved for circulation. The deposit is fully refunded once the final report has been submitted.

All submitted surveys are carefully reviewed to ensure that they are high quality, relevant, and respectful of members' time. Each survey is evaluated on:

• Originality: Contribution of new insights or perspectives.
• Relevance: Applicability to anesthesia, perioperative medicine, or patient safety.
• Quality of Design: Clarity, structure, and appropriateness of the questions.
• Presentation: Professional format and readability.

Following review, a survey will be:

• Approved for Distribution: The survey meets all criteria and is circulated to APSA India members.
• Returned for Revision: Recommendations are provided to improve the survey. The author may revise and resubmit once for re-evaluation.
• Declined: The survey does not meet the required standards or is not suitable for circulation.

Once a survey is approved, the refundable deposit is collected, and the survey is distributed to the selected membership group. It typically remains open for six weeks, with reminders sent to non-respondents.

After the survey closes, the author receives the data in an analysable format. The author is expected to prepare a final report including:

• Title
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Method
• Results
• Discussion
• References

Tables and charts should be used where appropriate to present findings clearly. Once APSA India receives the report, the deposit is refunded, and the report is archived for future reference and shared with members to support on-going improvement in clinical practice.

Before submitting a survey proposal, members are encouraged to review previously completed surveys in the APSA India archive to avoid duplication of topics. Your proposed survey should be relevant to anesthesia, perioperative medicine, or patient safety and provide meaningful value to members.

When designing your survey:

• Keep it concise: Aim for up to 10 questions (maximum 15).
• Use clear, unbiased language: Avoid leading or absolute terms like always or every.
• Structure it well: Prefer closed-ended questions (single or multiple choice) for easier analysis.
• Limit open-ended questions: Include no more than two and place them at the end.
• Use balanced scales: When using rating scales, include 4–6 options to capture a range of opinions.
• Mention the approximate time taken to complete the survey

Supported Question Types

• Single choice
• Multiple choice
• Open text

If a question requires conditional follow-up, clearly guide respondents (e.g., "If you answered Yes, go to Question 5; if No, skip to Question 7"). Alternatively, include a "Not Applicable" option.

Before submission, refine your survey by:

• Testing it with colleagues or peers to identify unclear wording or flow issues.
• Preparing a paper or draft version to review question sequence and clarity.

Surveys submitted by in-training members must include a senior APSA India member (e.g., consultant or faculty supervisor) as a co-author.

To initiate a survey:

1. Prepare Your Proposal

Include the following information:

• Title: Clear and descriptive.
• Summary: A brief explanation of the survey's purpose (around 250 characters).
• Introduction: A short overview explaining the survey's rationale, relevance, and value (around 750 characters). Include up to three references if needed.
• Authors: Provide full names and workplaces of all authors. If the primary author is an in-training member, a consultant or supervisor must be listed as co-author.

2. Build the Questionnaire

• Use clear, unbiased, and concise language.
• Limit questions to 10–15 for higher completion rates.
• Use single choice, multiple choice, and limited open-ended questions.
• Represent all clinician grades or relevant categories in demographic questions.
• Avoid excessive mandatory questions, as they may discourage participation.

3. Review Before Submission

Test the survey with peers, refine based on feedback, and make sure it is well-structured.

A small, non-refundable administrative fee (₹1000) is required at the time of submission. If the proposal is approved, a deposit is collected and later refunded once the final report is submitted.