Patient Recruitment: Getting trials off to a good START

Despite the development of an impressive array of recruitment tactics over the last decade, the problem of patient recruitment has continued to grow at an alarming rate. The failure of these new tactics to solve the problem has as much to do with their inherent limitations as it does with the lack of a comprehensive strategy for applying them. PAREXEL's unique strategy of "Predictive Management" focuses on using improved data assets to plan for Last Patient In (LPI), and then staging the application of appropriate tactics to manage this milestone in spite of changes in the environment.

Patient Recruitment is not a single activity but rather a host of responsibilities that range from protocol development and study feasibility to site selection and the various activities from First Patient In (FPI) to LPI. PAREXEL leverages its experience in filling clinical trials with an innovative model that integrates all the drivers of effective patient recruitment. Our Start-up and Accelerated Recruitment Team (START) offers the full breadth of services and capabilities clients need to ensure that their clinical trials begin on time and are effectively managed from start to finish.

Achieving LPI milestones requires extensive planning and hard data, so we support these activities with a set of proprietary data assets and tools, including a feasibility database, worldwide site selection database, our Scenario Planning and Recruitment Calculator (SPARC), site tracking and readiness tool, and site-specific recruitment plans. These resources are designed to increase the speed and effectiveness of all patient recruitment activities.

Proactive and comprehensive

Because there are always obstacles and detours on the road to trial fulfillment, PAREXEL builds in a proactive, contingency-based escalation process with pre-defined trigger points.

Additionally, as part of our comprehensive abilities to forecast, monitor, and manage patient recruitment, we provide a complete range of patient outreach and site-support services such as information, training, and other forms of assistance. These are designed to minimize delays that can add millions of dollars to the cost of a clinical trial.