Clinical trial recruitment, physician referrals, and site enrollment
Research backed answers for site owners, principal investigators, coordinators, and recruitment teams. Every number is linked to its original source.
Showing all 19 articles
How to get physicians to refer patients to your clinical trial
Physicians refer less than 0.2% of their patients into clinical trials, mostly because they lack study information and time. Here is how research sites close that gap and build a steady referral pipeline.
Why physicians rarely refer patients to clinical trials, and what fixes it
Physicians refer less than 0.2% of their patients into trials even though 90% are comfortable discussing research. The data points to information and time, not resistance. Here is what research sites can change.
What to include in a clinical trial referral letter to physicians
A clinical trial referral letter to physicians should fit on one page and answer what the study is, who qualifies, where it is, and how to refer. Here are the elements to include and what to leave out.
How to recruit more patients for a clinical trial at your site
Research sites recruit from three sources: their own records, advertising, and physician referrals. Physician referral is the most underused. Here is how to work all three with verified data behind each.
Why clinical trial sites miss enrollment targets
Tufts CSDD found 11% of sites enroll zero patients and 37% under enroll. Here is what the data says about why sites fall short and what a site can control to fix it.
What one day of enrollment delay costs a clinical trial
Tufts CSDD puts the direct cost of a Phase III trial at $55,716 per day and Phase II at $23,737. Here are the verified numbers, what changed from the old $4 million figure, and what it means for sites.
Can you pay physicians for clinical trial referrals? Finder's fees explained
Paying physicians solely for clinical trial referrals is unethical under the AMA Code, barred by WCG IRB, and can raise Anti Kickback concerns. Here is what the AMA, FDA, and IRBs say, and what sites can do instead.
What physicians need to know before referring a patient to a clinical trial
Before a physician refers a patient to your trial, they need five things: the study, the deciding criteria, the location, what the patient will go through, and one named contact. Here is why each matters.
How to follow up with physicians after they refer a patient to your trial
Nearly 30% of physicians never hear back from the site after referring a patient. Here is a follow up schedule that keeps referring physicians engaged, plus how to follow up with physicians who have not referred yet.
How to find specialists near your research site who treat your study population
Start from the study population, list the specialties that manage it, and pull every active physician within driving distance from the free CMS NPPES NPI Registry. Here is the step by step method.
Does outreach to referring physicians actually increase trial enrollment?
Published cases show physician outreach can become a site's top patient source, and one study shows a one time education push recruiting no one. Here is what separates outreach that works from outreach that does not.
Behind on enrollment: a recovery plan for clinical research sites
If your site is behind on enrollment, you are not alone: 37% of sites under enroll. Here is a four step recovery plan: diagnose the funnel, re mine records, add a physician referral source, and report weekly.
What it really costs to recruit one patient into a clinical trial
The $6,533 per patient figure is everywhere, but we could not trace it to a primary study. Here is what peer reviewed data shows about recruitment cost per patient, and how to calculate your own.
How to calculate recruitment ROI for a clinical research site
Recruitment ROI is the per patient revenue a channel produces, minus its cost, divided by its cost. Here is the formula, a worked example, and the mistakes that make channels look better or worse than they are.
Do physician outreach materials for a clinical trial need IRB approval?
FDA guidance says "dear doctor" and doctor to doctor letters are not direct advertising, even when they solicit subjects, while anything meant for patients is. Here is where the line sits and what to check with your IRB.
Physician referral strategy by therapeutic area
Which physicians should a site contact for an Alzheimer's, oncology, MASH, dermatology, respiratory, psychiatry, rheumatology, endocrinology, or migraine trial? A guide to referral sources by condition.
Which physicians refer patients to Alzheimer's clinical trials
Most dementia patients are first evaluated by community physicians. Here is what research says about who refers to Alzheimer's trials, what drives and blocks referrals, and why one time education is not enough.
Getting community oncologists to refer patients to oncology trials
About 85% of cancer patients are treated in community practices, but community programs enroll just 4.1% of patients in treatment trials versus 21.6% at NCI designated centers. Here is how sites close that gap.
Physician referrals vs Facebook ads for clinical trial recruitment
Online ads tend to be cheaper per enrollee and faster, while offline channels convert better. Here is what the research says about ads versus referrals, and how sites use both.