Grow Screening Visit Rate by 8X with Patient-Researcher Direct Messaging

We all know it’s hard to recruit patients for clinical trials.

It's not just about generating patient interest—it’s about converting that interest into action. One of the most important milestones in this process is getting patients to book a screening visit.

However, clinical research coordinators (CRCs) often face roadblocks that slow recruitment efforts, such as:

• Delays in communication between patients and researchers.
• Breakdowns in follow-up, causing patients to lose interest.
• Missed opportunities to engage patients when their enthusiasm is highest.

To address these barriers, Power introduced a direct messaging feature, and in our psych trials, we’ve seen an 8x increase in screening visit booking rates. Below, we’ll explain how it works and how you can apply these best practices to your own recruitment strategy.

How Power Upgraded Patient-Researcher Communication

The Problem: Limited engagement between patients and researchers

One of the biggest challenges CRCs face is ensuring fast, effective communication with patients who express interest in a trial. Too often, the gap between a patient’s initial inquiry and the site’s response leads to a loss of momentum. When emails go unanswered or follow-up calls turn into phone tag, the potential participant may lose interest or move on to other options, leading to lost recruitment opportunities.

Our Solution: Power’s direct messaging feature

Power’s platform addressed this issue by enabling direct, real-time communication between patients and researchers the moment a patient signs up for a trial. This immediate connection ensures there’s no lag between patient interest and researcher engagement. Here’s how the feature works:

• Immediate Connection: Patients can chat directly with researchers as soon as they express interest in a trial, minimizing delays.
• Real-time Q&A: Patients can ask questions and clarify trial details in real-time, keeping their engagement high and addressing concerns instantly.
• Seamless Scheduling: Screening appointments can be booked directly within the chat interface, cutting out unnecessary steps and improving conversion.

Case in point: In psych trials, CRCs using Power’s direct messaging feature experienced an 8x increase in screening visit rates compared to sites relying on traditional communication methods like email or phone.

Why Does This Have Such an Impact?

Messaging Patients at the Moment of Highest Engagement

Timing is everything in patient recruitment. With Power’s platform, patients and researchers are connected right at the point when patient interest is at its highest. This immediacy prevents the common delays that cause patients to lose enthusiasm. Here’s why it works so well:

• Increased Engagement: Real-time messaging captures patient attention when they are actively considering participation. This keeps the momentum going and minimizes drop-offs.
• Speed to Lead: Power’s in-app messaging shortened the time to first outreach by an average of 8 hours. This reduction in response time allows researchers to act on patient interest quickly, keeping patients engaged and more likely to book a screening visit.
• Faster Eligibility Verification: Researchers can use real-time communication to quickly verify eligibility criteria, ensuring that qualified patients can move swiftly to the screening stage without the usual back-and-forth.

"It's much easier to message the patients here than to email or text everyone on a separate platform." — CRC recruiting for a psych trial.

Key Takeaways: Best Practices for Your Recruitment Strategy

Here’s how you can implement similar strategies to improve patient recruitment:

1. Engage Patients Immediately

• Don’t wait to respond when a patient expresses interest.
• Use platforms that allow real-time communication, ensuring that no delay occurs between patient inquiry and researcher response.

2. Leverage Technology to Streamline Communication

• Use integrated platforms, like Power’s, to centralize communication and reduce delays.
• When messaging happens within the platform, both patients and researchers avoid the inefficiencies of external emails or phone calls.

3. Use AI to Speed Up Eligibility Checks

• Leverage tech to verify eligibility faster → The faster you verify, the faster you can schedule a screening visit.
• Power’s platform uses AI to automate the analysis of medical records, allowing researchers to confirm eligibility in real-time.

4. Respond Quickly to Inquiries

• Faster response times can drastically improve your recruitment outcomes.
• Don’t let patient questions go unanswered.

Conclusion: Faster First Outreach = More Screening Visits

If you’re ready to optimize your recruitment process and see stronger results, explore how Power’s platform can help you engage patients faster and more effectively.

Like what you’ve read? Feel free to reach out to me at brandon@withpower.com — I’d be happy to share more data on how these tools can help drive better outcomes for your trials.

In case you missed it: We won DPHARM Idol Disrupt 2024

Check out my recap here

A huge thank you to the organizers, competitors, and judges who participated in this year’s competition:

• Valerie Bowling and Tracey Kimball of the DPHARM Team
• Beaconcure, represented by Ilan Carmeli, COO and CoFounder, and Sean Wall, SVP, Commercial
• ThoughtSphere , represented by Avi Kulkarni , PhD, CEO
• Inspire , represented by Brett Kleger , CEO
• ProofPilot , represented by Chris Venezia , CEO
• InSilicoTrials , represented by Mario Torchia , Chief Operating Officer, and MaryAnne Rizk, Ph.D. , Advisor
• Mohammed Ali , R&D Head of Business Performance & Analytics, CMO Office, Astellas Pharma
• Mary Brantner , Senior Director, Clinical Program Optimization and Innovation, Insmed Incorporated
• Esther Dyson , Founder, Wellville
• Bill Illis , Head, Technology and Collaboration, Novartis
• Hassan Kadhim , Business Engagement Lead for Clinical Operations and Development, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Karen Peterson , Founder and Chief Patient Advocate, Karen's Club
• Doug Schantz , SVP, Clinical Operations, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio)
• Nicole Sheetz PharmD, Senior Director, Design & Innovation, Global Development, Gilead Sciences
• Lauren Sunshine , Director, Product Management, Digital Health, Bristol Myers Squibb
• Mark Travers PhD, MBA, VP, Head Global Clinical Trial Operations, Regions and Regional Operations, Merck
• Donna Usiskin , Chief Strategy Officer, New Enterprise Ventures
• Henry Wei , MD, Head of Development Innovation, Regeneron
• Sheryl Jacobs VP, Global Development Operations, Amgen

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