Can clinical trial patient concierge and reimbursement services improve engagement?

Numerous research studies have shown that the burden of logistics in clinical trials is often a sticking point in improving patient recruitment, engagement and retention. With patient-centricity increasingly vital when running trials, reducing the stress and time that patients devote to taking part is essential. Whilst this is true for all studies, it is particularly important for those that require multiple forms of transport, regular reimbursement or when patients need additional help getting from their home to the site.

Johanne Lanzl, Senior Account Manager at Scout Clinical, told us at Partnerships in Clinical Trials Europe in Nov 18 how patient concierge and reimbursement companies can help 'encourage patients to remain in the study, ease site workload and provide an efficient and economic form of patient retention.'

Lanzl explains that relatively small ways of helping the patient can have huge impacts: 'By providing pre-arranged transfers, pre-paid travel and accommodation, streamlining payment to patients for expense reimbursements and milestone achievements, it really helps remove the burden off the sites, patients, caregivers and administrators.'

This not only benefits retention, but also compliance, which is a 'huge struggle for sites and Sponsors alike'. She describes how facilitating logistics 'allows patients and caregivers one less thing to worry about and encourages the patients to stay more engaged and hopefully benefit from the study with potential positive outcomes'.

For Lanzl, all this is tied into time to market, which she fears is too often seen purely as a bottom line cost. Instead she argues in favour of more of a holistic view; 'that it should be seen as a service that enhances the study throughout'.

Watch the full interview with Lanzl on PCT TV here or below.