Patient Engagement
Once your patient recruitment strategy is in place, the next imperative step is retention. Keeping patients on protocol can be just as challenging as recruiting them. The success of your study is reliant upon patient compliance and retention. Not addressing this important factor can lead to increased costs and delays, as well as compromised results.
Most patients begin a study with the full intent to finish and follow all requirements along the way. Unfortunately, many will drop out for an assortment of reasons. Inevitably you will lose some participants due to unforeseen or uncontrollable situations. However, there are many situations where participants choose to discontinue participation which are avoidable.
Studies have indicated the average dropout rate for clinical trials is 30%. We can help you to minimize dropouts by studying your protocol and analyzing the top reasons that patients might potentially choose to discontinue. These include:
- Inconvenient Location
- Schedule Conflicts
- Personal Matters
- Physically Unable
- Financial Constraints
- Lack of Appreciation
- Forgetting Visits
- Fear and Anxiety
- Condition not Improving
- Side Effects
- Refusal to Comply
- Misunderstood Expectations and Instructions
Strategies to Improve Your Patient Retention
- Minimize the Burdens Placed on the Patient
- Set Expectations Up-Front
- Visit Reminders
- Appreciation and Recognition Gifts
- Provide Materials Which Clearly Explain Participation Expectations and Instructions
