CRC Tip for Higher Trial Enrollment: Faster Outreach

As a Clinical Research Coordinator, have you ever wondered what could be done to improve patient recruitment at your site?  Well, I have some insight that should solve some of the puzzle for you!

Studies by InsideSales.com discovered that referrals are 9 times more likely to convert when you follow-up within 5 minutes of an inquiry. Your research site should call referrals quickly, even if it is within the first 48-hours, instead of waiting weeks or months.

Yes, I did say weeks or months! at TrialJoin we’ve seen some sites wait that long before contacting new referrals. You as a CRC have complete control over how quickly you reach out to patients, whereas you don’t control eligibility or patient’s attending appointments.

Text Messaging

One reason a site might delay contacting patients is because of the time constraints of making a call: dialing, reaching voicemails, clarifying who you are, and the reason behind your call. While each instance may only amount to 5 or so minutes each, collectively they take away hours from the staff member who is making phone calls.   

So, instead replace phone calls with a text message. Focus on finding the best time to make a phone call. A text could say “Hi this is Joe from ABC research. What is the best time tomorrow to call you about the COPD study you expressed interest in?”

By using this approach, you will improve your patient-centricity by putting their schedule first.  

At the same time, since the patient knows your phone number now, they won't ignore your call because they don’t recognize the caller.  All of these actions will create an unspoken commitment to the future phone call, improving the chances of your call being answered.

Patient recruitment is a challenge, but it plays a big part in the role of medical advancement.  I look to share what I've learned from all the studies we worked on at TrialJoin. If you found the information so far helpful, give it a like or a share! You can also subscribe to my channel to get a notification when the next video goes up.

PI Involvement Helps

Another point to consider is that Principal Investigators are crucial in the initial steps. When a patient speaks to a doctor it reduces concerns and lifts the mystery around clinical trials for patients. We have witnessed PIs at many high enrolling sites make calls to their new referrals.  

Have Staff Call Patients First

Calling your patients takes time, and while useful, it isn’t the best use of a PIs time. Your office staff can make the call first, pre-screen patients, and then have the qualified patients speak to the PI to boost participation.

Your staff should respectfully request that questions should be narrowed to the study when speaking with the PI. This should help focus the call for the doctor and lets the patient know the limits of the conversation.

Again, having the PI involved in the early stages of the patient enrollment process immensely aids outcomes.  Both small- and medium-size research sites have been observed using this system. One caveat to add, TrialJoin works with non-oncology studies only.

Soft Skills For Calls

When you call patients to pre-screen them for a study, you need to form a relationship with them.

The first thing - establishing rapport will make patients more receptive to you! You can learn about their hobbies, family, and day-to-day activities by asking open questions. Find out what you two have in common.  It should be a quick part of the call, only adding an extra minute or two.

Another good tip is to show empathy. You can do this by validating fears, hopes, and other cares, all of which develops a rapport.

Check 10 Soft Skills Every Research Coordinator Needs to Put to Use in 2019

By applying all these practices listed above, you’ll gain more compliance from your patients and less strain on your practice.  The takeaways are to respond to new referrals quicker, use text messaging to help you save time, and look for rapport building opportunities!