Benchmarks and tools

Physician referral letter template for clinical trials

By TrialNotice · Updated
Printed one page referral letter in a navy envelope beside a red pen, glasses, and a stethoscope
Short answerA physician referral letter should fit on one page and cover the study in one sentence, the few criteria that decide eligibility, the site location, what patients can expect, one named contact, and a commitment to report back. The template below follows that structure and is ready to copy.
[Site letterhead] [Date] Dr. [Physician name] [Practice name] [Practice address] Dear Dr. [Last name], I am the principal investigator for a clinical study at [Site name] for adults with [condition], and I am writing because your practice cares for patients who may qualify. The study: [one sentence describing the phase, what is being studied, and for which condition]. Patients who may qualify: 1. [Key inclusion criterion] 2. [Key inclusion criterion] 3. [Key exclusion criterion] Where: [Site name], [address], about [distance or drive time] from your office. What patients can expect: [number of visits] visits over [study length], including [key procedures, stated plainly]. How to refer: contact [coordinator name] at [direct phone] or [email]. One call is enough; we handle screening. We will confirm every referral within two business days and let you know whether your patient screened. Thank you for considering your patients for this study. Sincerely, Dr. [PI name] Principal Investigator, [Site name]

Why is the template built this way?

  • One page, criteria first: physicians cite missing study information and time as key reasons they do not refer (Tufts CSDD).
  • Distance and procedures stated plainly: proximity raised referral odds about fourfold, and concern about uncomfortable procedures was a top barrier, in one physician survey (PubMed).
  • A promise to report back: nearly 30% of physicians never heard from the site after referring (Tufts CSDD).

Does the letter need IRB approval?

FDA guidance places doctor to doctor letters outside the direct advertising IRBs review (FDA), and WCG IRB does not require prior review of them (WCG). Your IRB may set stricter rules, so check its policy. Never offer payment for referrals; the AMA treats it as unethical fee splitting (AMA).

What turns a letter into a referral program?

Repetition, tracking, and follow up. One letter is a start; a monthly cadence with email and LinkedIn follow up, and a way to see which physicians engaged, is what produces steady referrals. See what to include in a referral letter.

Get your study in front of the right local physicians

TrialNotice builds a physician referral pipeline around one active study. We identify relevant local physicians within driving distance of your site, send study aligned direct mail, follow up by email and LinkedIn, track engagement with recipient level QR codes, and route warm responses into your site team's workflow.

Talk to TrialNotice

Sources

  1. Applied Clinical Trials, "Tufts CSDD Study Explores Low Recruitment Rates"
  2. "Predictors of physician referral for patient recruitment to Alzheimer disease clinical trials," Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, PubMed
  3. FDA, "Recruiting Study Subjects" guidance for IRBs and clinical investigators
  4. WCG, "Does the IRB need to approve doctor to doctor letters?"
  5. AMA Code of Medical Ethics, Opinion on Fee Splitting

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