At the risk of being blunt, some organizations execute patient recruitment for clinical trials better than others. There is much to be learned by studying and sharing the trends and insights from successful organizations.

In a new playbook for patient recruitment, Executive Trends Report: Strategic Shifts Reshaping Clinical Trial Enrollment, OpenClinica shares the patient recruitment insights and trends leading research organizations – and able to be deployed by others.

• The Digital-First Patient is Here to Stay
  Regardless of age, patients increasingly expect the same digital convenience from clinical trials that they get from every other aspect of healthcare and life. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the prevalence of the digital-savvy patient.
• Decentralized and Hybrid Models Are Transforming Academic Research
  Regulatory acceptance of remote and hybrid trial models during the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped patient expectations and opened up lasting opportunities for academic researchers to reach participants beyond their local regions.
• Data-Driven Recruitment Is Separating Winners from Losers
  The most effective trials leverage predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and advanced attribution modeling to continually enhance recruiting performance. Instead of simply tracking enrollment, they anticipate and address potential recruitment challenges before they occur. Increasingly, regulators and funders are expecting this level of analytical sophistication.
• Diversity and Inclusion Is Moving from Compliance to Scientific Excellence
  Regulatory demands for diversity are rising, and leading organizations now view inclusive recruitment as vital for scientific validity, not just compliance.
• The Site-Sponsor-CRO Dynamic Is Being Reimagined, and Academics Have Unique Advantages
  The site model is shifting from passive protocol execution to collaborative partnerships where sites play an active role in recruitment strategy and delivery.
• Patient Advocacy Organizations Are Becoming Research Partners
  Patient advocacy groups are becoming active research partners, shaping trial design, addressing recruitment barriers, and linking their communities to relevant studies.
• Academic Medical Centers Are Professionalizing Recruitment Operations
  Academic medical centers are realizing that effective recruitment needs dedicated expertise, not just clinical knowledge or good intentions.

In our new clinical trial patient recruitment playbook, Executive Trends Report: Strategic Shifts Reshaping Clinical Trial Enrollment, we go beyond the insights and discuss what each strategy means for sponsors, contract research organizations (CROs) and academic research facilities as well as the strategic implications.

For example, the first trend is The Digital-First Patient is Here to Stay. In other words,

• Patients are increasingly researching and comparing trials online.
• Their first digital experience strongly influences participation decisions.
• Digital infrastructure is now a competitive advantage in clinical trials.
• Organizations must allocate budget for digital campaigns, patient portals, and online screening.
• A seamless, user-friendly digital journey is critical to attract and retain participants.

Academic centers that adopt digital patient engagement platforms are achieving significantly higher enrollment rates, while those depending only on traditional approaches continue to fall short of their goals. The digital divide in patient recruitment is widening rapidly.

To review all six trends and insights, download our new patient recruitment guide here.