Navigating the Complexities of Patient Screening:

 

Overcoming Obstacles to Patient Screening and Recruitment in Clinical Trials 

 

Clinical trials are essential for advancing medical innovations and safely bringing new therapies to market. However, clinical trial protocols required to bring those novel treatments to market have become increasingly complex with stringent inclusion/exclusion criteria. These obstacles can impact speed to market and affect efforts to deliver improved care to patients. 

Assessing a patient’s eligibility can become a serious bottleneck for patient recruitment. Difficulty enrolling participants in clinical trials slows the drug development process and can limit diversity by inadvertently excluding certain patient populations. So, how can research teams optimize clinical trial operations for patient screening and retention processes to become more effective and bring new therapies to market more quickly?

Collecting Electronic Health Records (EHR) Data and Lab Data 

Clinical trials often require detailed medical histories and diagnostic information to determine patient eligibility. Gathering, verifying and reviewing those records, which are typically scattered across different healthcare providers, can be tedious and time-consuming for patients and trial sites.  

Research coordinators must navigate various data formats and privacy regulations to screen the records, significantly slowing patient recruitment. Patients themselves are often called upon to intervene when data retrieval isn’t smooth, or permissions are required. This follow-up work can deter patients from participating and negatively impact patient experience.  

Technology and increased interoperability of EHR data can help address these challenges. Equally important are user-friendly patient interfaces that make it easier for patients to access and share data from their providers, hospitals and labs. Seamless integration into existing systems and workflows further reduces friction for both patients and study staff.  

Leveraging Wearables and Fitness App Data 

Technology can simplify clinical trials and help boost participation. Wearables and fitness app data allow real-time health and activity data to be incorporated into the clinical trial process. Participants can report symptoms and experiences from home instead of only during site visits, increasing the availability of real-world evidence outside of clinical settings. 

Reducing the number of required in-person visits with technology makes participating in a clinical trial less burdensome. When patients can share their medical information and real-world data via technology, recruitment becomes easier. 

Improving the Patient Experience 

Participants must feel involved at every step of the clinical study process, from enrollment through completion. When patients believe their feedback matters and have control over their role in the clinical research, they’re more likely to stay committed to the trial, resulting in lower dropout rates.   Streamlining and simplifying the patient journey increases the likelihood that eligible patients will join clinical trials and have a better experience. Efficient procedures and improved communication also foster a more inclusive and representative participant pool. 

Eliminating Barriers to Clinical Trial Success 

Clinical trials are the engine of medical advancement, aiming to develop life-saving therapies quickly and safely. Advanced technology that replaces traditional, time-consuming, manual efforts can help to break down the barriers that hinder patient participation and delay critical medical advances.  

Innovative technology solutions leveraging data and analytics to optimize patient screening for clinical trials can help pave the way for groundbreaking medical discoveries. To learn more, request our white paper, “Navigating the Complexities of Patient Screening: Streamlining the Process for Accelerated Clinical Trials.”