strategies and tools for recruitment and retention

Advancing Today’s Discoveries to Improve Health

Strategies and Tools for Recruitment and Retention

Tiffany Bernard and Mary BeckerCenter for Clinical and Translational Science

Recruitment and Retention ServicesResearchMatch.org, Institutional Liaisons


What Is Research?

http://www.aahrpp.org/learn/for-research-participants/what-is-research

When most people are asked about research, they think of scientific or medical research –and with good reason. Successful medical research will result in new medications or devices that could dramatically improve the way we treat certain diseases or conditions.



What Is Research?


But research takes other forms, too. Some studies use questionnaires, interviews, or other types of surveys to gather information about habits, opinions, and beliefs. Other studies observe the way people interact with one another or react to certain situations, providing new insights into human behavior.



What do all forms of research have in common?

All seek knowledge for the public good.


There is collective recognition that recruitment is a key

factor of success for research.

(Huang et al., 2018).


86%

As much as 86% of clinical trials do not reach recruitment targets within their specified time periods

19%

19% of trials were closed or terminated early because they could not accrue enough participants

2xData suggest that study timelines have potentially doubled beyond planned enrollment periods due to low recruitment rates

(Huang et al., 2018).


The inability to meet recruitment goals ultimately affects our patients…

Because potential new discoveries are not reaching those who need it most.


When you think about recruitment,

you MUST think about the participants.


What is a ParticipantA living individual about whom researcher obtains

(1) Data through intervention or interaction, or

(2) Identifiable private information.

Also known as a volunteer or “Human Subject”

Ohio State University Office of Responsible Research Practices (2011). Research Participation: History, Informed Consent, Participation, Protection [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://orrp.osu.edu/irb/research-participants/

https://orrp.osu.edu/irb/research-participants/


We l ike to cal l them HEROES


I participate because I hope

for a cure.

I participate because I want to

help others.

I participate because it

benefits me.

Because I can.


A study should be designed incorporating the participant’s perspective to help anticipate

enrollment and realistically reach the available population.


Recruitment materials OFTEN don’t reflect the motivations of participants

• Recruitment materials NEED to reflect the intent of the study (the purpose)

• Present the study in an easy to understand way• Health literacy• Plain Language

• Reflect the study honestly

(Health.gov, 2018)


What is plain language?

Plain language is a strategy for making written and oral information easier to understand. It is an important tool for improving health literacy.

Plain language is communication that users can understand the first time they read or hear it.

Find Understand Act


Key elements of plain language:

• Organizing information • Breaking complex information down• Using simple language• Using the active voice

Plain Language Medical Dictionarywww.lib.umich.edu/plain-language-dictionary

https://www.lib.umich.edu/plain-language-dictionary


Advertising Mediums

When planning a recruitment campaign, it’s critical to know what types of media is at your disposal and how to leverage those outlets to fit your recruitment goals.

(Forte Research)


In the media


Digital Recruitment

Strengths•Lower cost

•Trackable

•Numerous advanced targeting options

•Good frequency builder

Weaknesses•Slow buildup of reach

•Some users “tune out” online ads

•A lot of competition for the audience’s attention


Common methods on OSU Campus• OnCampus Today—emailed Newsletter

• Bus advertising

• Flyers

• StudySearch

• Facebook

• Word of mouth


ccts.osu.edu

Recruitment Services Offered by The Center for Clinical and Translational Science


https://ccts.osu.edu/content/research-consultation


Recruitment and Retention ServicesSupporting researcher's efforts to efficiently and effectively attract the participants they need.

Recruitment and Retention can help design those first touch points with the community and share best practices to help researchers achieve their recruitment/retention goals. Requesting a consultation with Recruitment and Retention Services early in the design of a research study can help to reduce the burden of study participant recruitment, which can often be more challenging than expected.

go.osu.edu/recruitmentintake


Recruitment and Retention Consults

Consultation is available to help research teams with:

• Best practices

• Design of marketing materials

• MyChart for Recruitment

• Referrals

• ResearchMatch

• StudySearch

• Resources


Best PracticesBest practices for providing great customer service at every contact with potential and enrolled participants.

Including:

• PI thank you letters

• Participant Satisfaction Survey

• Role playing

• Customer service training

Participants stay in a study more often because of loyalty to the team or a member of the team, than to the “study.”


Marketing Materials & Social Media


Paid Social Media

go.osu.edu/fbrequest


MyChart for Recruitment

“Contact Me”.

1. Potentially eligible volunteers are identified via a query using Research Informatics Services.

2. The list of the identified individuals is sent to an Honest Broker.

3. The Honest Broker sends the “Recruitment Request”. This pushes the study description and recruitment boiler plate language out to the potential volunteer.

4. The message will not be sent if the patient is NOT MyChart Active or has refused to receive MyChart Recruitment messages

MyChart for Recruitment sends patients messages within the MyChart application


Over 3230 calls received

In every email from the [email protected] include this message:

mailto:[email protected]


ResearchMatch.org


StudySearch.osumc.edu

StudySearch is an online tool which lists research studies that are seeking volunteers at OSU and NCH—in plain language.

In the last year, over 36,000 hits.

https://[email protected]/


https://www.researchmatch.org/?rm=email


ResourcesConnecting with various resources available on campus.

Advancing Today’s Discoveries to Improve Health33

MyChart


Recruitment CafesA series of discussions designed to help you with your recruitment and retention challenges for your research studies.

Our Recruitment Cafes will leverage the experiences of study teams as they attempt to navigate the recruitment and retention landscape. Each café will consist of a short presentation and open discussion among attendees sharing their collective knowledge. It is our hope that this opportunity helps develop best practices and a network of resources.

Advancing Today’s Discoveries to Improve Health35

strategies and tools for recruitment and retention

Documents