There are many factors that lead to clinical trial success. Patient recruitment is often overlooked but repeatedly shown to be essential to the success of a clinical trial. Lacking a solid recruitment strategy can lead to delays, incomplete data, and even potential failure. It is imperative for medical device startups to prioritize patient recruitment as it can make or break their trial.
The Importance of Patient Recruitment
Patient recruitment is foundational to a clinical trial. However, recruitment doesn’t just mean enrolling patients; implementing strong recruitment strategies is key. Beyond enrolling in the trial, Sponsors need patients who will follow all study requirements and return for all scheduled follow-up visits. Partnering with patients appropriately at the beginning can substantially impact patient retention; thereby reducing those lost to follow-up and saving money for the Sponsor. Prioritizing effective recruitment techniques and strategies will support the detailed testing of the medical device, provide reliable data results, and ensure there are no delays in the time-to-market for the device.
The Challenges of Recruitment
Patient recruitment is challenging in any trial, but medical device trials face unique obstacles:
- Strict Eligibility Requirements: Medical devices often have strict eligibility requirements. They are incredibly specific with conditions and characteristics. Device-specific requirements, often about anatomy in addition to the aforementioned comorbidities, add to this complexity, making recruitment challenging.
- Patient Unfamiliarity with Devices: Since many tested devices are new, patients may feel hesitant to participate. They may also be unaware of clinical trial opportunities and lack understanding of how they and society could benefit. Educating patients about the device’s safety and benefits thoroughly can address this, though it requires time and effort. High Competition for Participants: The medical device industry is booming with many clinical trials running simultaneously. This increases competition for participants, making recruitment even more difficult.
- Commitment Required from Patients: Clinical trials can last years, requiring many follow–ups or on-site visits. Patients may find this commitment daunting, and even those who join may not remain engaged. Dropout rates can delay study timelines and data integrity. To maintain target enrollment, additional recruitment efforts may be required, adding further challenges.
ActiVie’s Patient Recruitment Strategies
ActiVie is a fractional contract research organization (CRO) that offers full support of a clinical trial, including patient recruitment. They employ a range of strategies to enhance patient recruitment and retention, making these approaches easily accessible for medical device startups.
- Patient-Centered Approach: ActiVie places the patient at the center of all they do, designing trials with patient convenience in mind. This focus on the patient and their needs and wants helps improve retention rates.
- Targeted Outreach Using Data: ActiVie implements targeted outreach strategies that pinpoint specific patient populations based on eligibility criteria. Using precise data analytics improves recruitment success.
- Community Engagement: By partnering with patient advocacy groups and local healthcare providers, ActiVie builds trust within the target communities and raises awareness about trials.
- Digital Marketing and Social Media: ActiVie uses targeted digital marketing on social media platforms to reach potential patients who might otherwise be unaware of clinical trial opportunities.
- Retention through Support: ActiVie’s approach supports both recruitment and retention. Through flexible trial designs and regular check-ins, ActiVie minimizes patient burden, providing necessary support to patients and site personnel.
Conclusion
Patient recruitment is pivotal to clinical trial success. For medical device trials, it is imperative to implement strong recruitment strategies from the outset and to support patient retention throughout the trial. ActiVie’s expert team empowers medical device startups with decades of experience, overcoming recruitment challenges and positioning devices for clinical trial success.
Ready to enhance your patient recruitment strategy? Contact ActiVie today to learn how their patient-centered approach can support your trial from start to finish.