FAQs

What is ThoughtLounge?
ThoughtLounge is a survey and forum tool which provides the capacity to deliver web-based focus groups that allow physicians, residents, and medical students from across Ontario to share perspectives, engage with peers, and contribute to the health-care conversation. Questions and surveys on important health care subjects are presented in an engaging and visually stimulating fashion. ThoughtLounge is very different than traditional online surveys, allowing for an interactive member experience.

Why should I participate?
The value of this initiative to the OMA is immense, allowing for both quantitative and qualitative research on the same platform, with the added benefit of enabling peer-to-peer discussion forums.

The health care conversation.
Many subjects will be addressed on the ThoughtLounge platform. Early focus includes health policy, physician-specific issues, negotiation priorities, government influence, public policy discussions, challenges faced by the broader health-care system, physician leadership development, and more.

As a member of the OMA, your voice matters to us.
At the OMA, we are committed to serving Ontario’s doctors and invite our members to share their views on a variety of topics that matter to you most. As a part of our continued efforts to engage members, the OMA has launched this new web-based survey technology that allows members to provide feedback that will be used to inform policy, positions, and strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is ThoughtLounge?
ThoughtLounge is essentially a standing, online focus group, insight group — or “e-panel” — that consists of OMA members who wish to share perspectives, engage with peers, and take advantage of a unique opportunity to directly inform and influence decisions at all levels of the Association.

2. What is an insight community?
An insight community is an online community which is created and maintained to conduct quantitative and qualitative research. An insight community is like having a large number of our members always connected and ready to answer questions pertinent to them. Insight communities are part of the community research revolution, bringing organizations and services closer to their members and stakeholders, moving from a monologue to a dialogue.

3. Who is Vision Critical?
The OMA has partnered with Vision Critical, the Canadian parent company of Angus Reid polling, to create ThoughtLounge. Considered a world leader in e-panel deployment, Vision Critical’s other clients include the Canadian Medical Association, and other respected Canadian companies.

4. Can I complete a survey from anywhere?
Using Vision Critical’s technology — which can be accessed across all electronic platforms, including smartphones, tablets and other devices — ThoughtLounge offers OMA members an opportunity to provide input on critical subjects at any time, anywhere.

5. Is this a secure site?
Yes, the OMA’s e-panel, ThoughtLounge, is a secure website. Please note the lock symbol that should appear on your browser once you are logged into the site.
6. Who has access to my information? Will my information or data be sold?
The confidentiality of member information is of utmost importance to the OMA. Members can rest assured that information provided as part of engaging with ThoughtLounge will be held securely between Vision Critical and the OMA. It will never be provided to a third party. The complete privacy policy is available HERE.

7. Why do I have to fill out a profile questionnaire?
Filling out a profile questionnaire will ensure that you only receive surveys which are pertinent to your interests and your specialty. By filling out a profiling questionnaire we will be able to screen out those who do not meet the qualification criteria for a survey, and will ensure that only the most relevant surveys are sent to members. Participants will then be notified by email whenever a survey has been posted online.

8. Will the survey results be made public?
The OMA is committed to a full partnership with members in this initiative. As such, quarterly reports on the research acquired through ThoughtLounge will be reported out to the entire membership. Furthermore, the results of each individual survey will also be reported to participants by email once the survey has been completed. In this way, the OMA seeks to keep members informed of the growing body of knowledge and information acquired through ThoughtLounge.

9. Is my participation anonymous
Yes, we will never attach any survey answers to an individual. All survey results are reported in an aggregated format.

10. If a survey is sent to me based on my profile demographics, am I obligated to complete it? 
No, survey participation is strictly voluntary. You can participate in as many or as few surveys as you wish.

11. Will I get paid for survey participation?
Members will not be compensated for their participation. There may be times when we attach contests to surveys in order to illicit larger pools of participation, but this will be decided on an ad hoc basis.

12. Can I opt out of the e-panel if I don’t wish to participate any longer? What is the process for opting out?
Yes, you can opt out of the e-panel at any time.