5 lesser-known clinical trial patient recruitment issues
Many elements factor into the success of a clinical trial patient recruitment campaign. If issues arise within the recruitment pipeline, large-scale factors such as a lack of patients are often the first variables to be considered; however, smaller, less noticeable issues may be to blame. In this blog, we're sharing a few key things that may seem small but can have a large impact on patient recruitment.
Lesser-known issues that can impact clinical trial recruitment
1. A confusing patient pre-screener.
If patients interact with ads but fail the prescreener, see which questions they fail most often. The wording may be confusing, or the prescreener process may not be intuitive for individuals. If possible, remove questions that may create friction from the prescreener and instead ask them while conducting a phone or in-person screening to reduce patient drop-off.
2. Ads without patient-centric language.
Understanding the ways patients refer to their own condition can be extremely helpful when creating ads. If current collateral isn't connecting with the audience, it may be because it isn't using familiar terminology. For example, if an ad references diabetes mellitus and patients use “diabetes,” it may be worth changing the ad copy to reflect this.
3. Patients aren't answering the phone.
If patients pass a pre-screener but then don't answer the phone to take the next step, it can be helpful to send a follow-up email or a text message to keep in touch. Many people are averse to answering an unexpected phone call, especially from an unknown number, so providing an option for patients to call at their own convenience or schedule a time can be helpful.
4. The ads are misleading.
Because there are many rules regarding how advertisements for clinical trials can be worded, collateral can sometimes be too vague and not make it clear that a clinical trial is what is being discussed. If patients interact with the ad under these pretenses, they may drop off your page if they’re not interested in a trial opportunity. If ads have a high click-through rate, but patients aren’t completing the pre-screener or another action on the landing page, misleading ads could be the issue.
5. The patient database is outdated.
If a patient database is part of the recruitment strategy, contact information must be up to date. Non-responsive patients could indicate that email addresses or phone numbers are no longer in use. Be sure to reach out using all available contact information, and ask patients to update their information if they respond.
Before you start your next recruitment campaign, set yourself up for success by downloading our template. It has every step you need to take, from asking the right questions to crafting copy that brings in qualified patients.
