Participant resources in the right place, at the right time
Trials are increasingly making use of remote patient monitoring solutions and electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) as a means to collect data between visits. The benefits can be huge, but many participants find ePROs too time consuming or feel their importance is unclear, which can both impact retention rates.
Association between participant perceptions of diaries and trial completion rates
91%
completion rate
Appropriate
(n=275)
58%
completion rate
Too time consuming
(n=117)
50%
completion rate
Unclear importance
(n=117)
Equally, digital and print support resources for participants (like visit schedules), when done well, can enhance retention. However, there is significant geographic variability in how useful participants find support materials; many feel materials are being provided at the wrong time; and there's increasing demand for personalised formats to meet individual needs.
What site teams can do:
Ensure participant resources are provided in the right place, at the right point in the study journey, and aligned with the participant's communication preferences, to provide maximum support while avoiding burden or confusion.
Explain to participants which tools, materials, and resources are mandatory (like eCOAs or dosing diaries) and which are purely optional (like visit guides or feedback questionnaires). This can help position resources like ePROs as a health and monitoring benefit, rather than as a potentially time-consuming burden.
What sponsors can do:
Explore resources that are flexible and adaptive – for example, microsites with modular content that participants can toggle on or off to meet their individual informational needs over time.
Work with site teams to ensure support materials are appropriately localised and culturally relevant for the target patient population.
Finally, regardless of material format, ensure a comprehensive dissemination plan is in place to ensure site teams know when and how to share materials with participants.
