Whether you’re applying for a credit card or in the market for a new car—chances are you’ll have to provide personal information before you even consider making a purchase. How much money did you make last year? What does your credit history look like? How long have you lived at your current address? Companies know that the answers to these questions will tell them who is most likely to benefit from their services and buy their products for years to come.
In short, it’s a way to quickly identify if you’re an ideal customer.
Patient recruitment isn’t any different. Having strong patient screening processes in place are important for any clinical research because they pinpoint participants who may qualify for a study prior to having them move on to the informed consent process. But comprehensive pre-screening is often overlooked in favor of keeping participant pools as large as possible for longer periods of time. Here’s why that could be a mistake and why a thorough, multi-level screening process could be a massive opportunity for clinical trials:
What is pre-screening in patient recruitment?
Pre-screening is like being pre-qualified for a home or bank loan. It’s based solely on personal health information provided by the patient. Patient recruitment companies use this information to evaluate whether a participant meets basic eligibility criteria for a clinical trial.
For example, someone can be browsing social media and see an ad asking for individuals experiencing specific symptoms to learn more about a clinical trial. Clicking on the ad leads them to an online survey or questionnaire to determine if they’re a good fit for further screening. If a patient fits within a clinical trial’s inclusion criteria (such as age, diagnosis, and medical history) and doesn’t meet any exclusion criteria (including prior treatments, pregnancy, and pre-existing conditions) they’ll be contacted further via email or phone call.
If the individual meets all the conditions and expresses interest in participating in the clinical trial, the patient screening process begins.
How is screening different from pre-screening?
If pre-screening is like being pre-qualified for a loan, screening is like being pre-approved for that same home or bank loan. It’s based on a quality assessment done by healthcare professionals. But before screening can begin, participants are guided through the informed consent process where they’ll learn all about the clinical study, potential risks, and any other relevant details. Only after a patient gives informed consent will they proceed with the screening.
Patient screening includes gathering personal medical information, scheduling a physical exam, conducting any relevant lab exams, and confirming that the participant does indeed meet all eligibility criteria for the clinical trial. These additional screening steps ensure the safety of all participants and protect the study’s scientific validity.
Why do the differences between pre-screening and screening matter in clinical trials?
In addition to saving time, money, and resources—having distinct pre-screening and screening processes is about regulatory compliance and informed consent. If a patient has not given informed consent, they cannot legally submit to the more personal aspects of the screening process (such as handing over personal health data) and patient recruitment companies are limited to the information that participants are willing to give them voluntarily. Patient recruitment companies can get some relevant data from potential participants, the more detailed information will have to wait until they receive informed consent.
What is the role of digital technology in the screening process?
At the end of the day, patient recruitment is people helping people. And if you lack a personal touch, they’ll be ineffective. But digital technology, when employed in a patient-centric way, can help make the screening process more efficient and accurate. For higher participant engagement and reduced delays, consider using digital tools to aid in the following screening processes:
- Electronic Health Records Access: Digital access to electronic health records allows patient recruitment companies and clinical researchers to quickly review comprehensive (and complicated) medical histories.
- Virtual Doctor Evaluations: Telehealth platforms allow for remote screenings, which means quicker turnaround times for healthcare professionals and a more convenient experience for participants.
- Improved Patient Predictions: Data analytics and machine learning algorithms can analyze large datasets to identify ideal participants more quickly, effectively speeding up the screening process.
1nHealth: Identifying the right patients right away
Patient recruitment is about finding the right patients for the right clinical trials because identifying the right patients right away is key to preventing costly delays. Since 2019, 1nHealth has been recruiting for clinical studies with a thorough, multi-level screening process. The sooner you can find out that a patient isn’t the right fit, the more time you have to engage with participants who are. Take a look at our experiences and see how we can help. Click here to connect with us today.
