“The ease of patient recruitment and retention in clinical trials is totally dependent on the study protocol. If there are many invasive assessments involved it can be a challenge to meet patient recruitment targets. Another factor that can influence your recruitment numbers is the severity of the disease under investigation. For example, if you have a patient with severe emphysema and is being offered a drug or device that may improve their breathlessness, that is sometimes easier to recruit for compared to a patient with mild asthma. The patient with emphysema is sometimes willing to try anything to improve their quality of life”.

“When it comes to patient recruitment and retention in clinical trials, the success or failure of a trial is dependent on your ability to pre-screen patients. Although you want to help as many patients as possible get onto the trial, it may not a manageable commitment. There can be significant factors to consider: How far away do they live? Are there transports costs in the study budget? If not, is it financially viable to attend monthly visits for the next 18 months? Do they have mobility issues? These are reasons you could lose patients to follow-up. However, if you are able to recruit the patient on to the study, it becomes about building a rapport and, sometimes, managing expectations. Some patients love coming to the study visits, and can’t wait to tell you about their upcoming holiday or their nieces graduation they attended at the weekend. You do begin to build a bond with some patients. On the other hand, some patients can get down hearted when they don’t notice a change in their health and perceive they’re on the placebo. That can be a challenge”. – Dingani Mpoko is a Clinical Trial Coordinator at The Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust in London, excerpted,click here to read the article in its entirety. [end].

We agree pre-screening is a big part of patient recruitment and retention in clinical trials.   Know the Study Scavenger platform offers an efficient and easy means to recruit for clinical trials with a flat fee pricing option:  We deliver comprehensive Social Media Marketing including targeted digital ads, email blasts, text blasts, Facebook post boosts, pre qualification pre-screening process to reduce site staff workload and banner ads may be added to supplement your study posting. Study Scavenger is a Robust Patient Recruitment Engine utilizing multiple social media channels to drive motivated, interested potential research patients to our pre-qualification registration page. IRB approved Pre-qualification Process performed on line. Only patients who pass the study’s specific criteria have their information encrypted and encoded. An email is sent to your dedicated call center, recruitment department or CRCs.  Click here to learn more!