Improving Patient Recruitment and Retention in Clinical Research
Numerous factors contribute to the process of patients choosing whether to participate and remain in clinical research studies. These include, limited knowledge about the clinical trial and insufficient knowledge about safety and benefits. We help you develop a strategy for improving patient recruitment and retention.
People do not always make rational decisions because the decision-making process is often at the subconscious level and biased. This includes potential participants’ decisions to participate or drop out of a clinical trial. We draw on the latest behavioural research to develop a strategy for improving patient recruitment and retention.
We bring together personal, social and behavioural factors in the patient’s decision process. In doing so you will be able to deliver effective communication and messaging.
To understand what motivates patients to take part in a clinical trial, we use the behavioural science framework. Using this framework helps ensure that all important issues around the decision-making process are examined. This enables us to work with you to develop a patient recruitment strategy that works.
Download (Opposite) our latest paper on patient recruitment and retention. ‘Involve patients more effectively’
The Conceptual Framework
The three components of the behavioural Economics Framework are :
People think short-term and avoid loss rather than achieve loss aversion. In other words, loss is felt more keenly than gain.
In addition to the need to retain a positive self-image, individual decision-making is heavily shaped by others. This is the power of the messenger, rather than of the message itself. It is certainly true that behaviour can be influenced by not only experts and authority, but peers, patient groups and networks, and their communications. For example, social media and mobile phone apps can have a significant effect on trial recruitment and retention. This is particularly relevant where people find themselves in ambiguous situations and look to others for guidance. This is known as informational influence.
When it comes to making a judgement or choice, as humans, people do not like to think too much. They cannot attend to and process all available information. Too much information and too many messages leaves them unable to cope. This is when System 1 thinking – perceptual, intuitive and influenced by emotion – kicks in to help people make the choices that come easily to mind.
