Patient Retention Programs: Overview

TKL Research successfully designs and executes patient retention programs for both US and rest-of-world (ROW) clinical studies. TKL’s patient retention programs, which often run in conjunction with our patient recruitment programs, focus on methods to keep the evaluable patient committed to the study from the moment of signed informed consent until study completion.

We offer customized patient retention services based on your specific study design and protocol and utilize our considerable knowledge of best practices from our vast experience.

Immediate Subject Reimbursement

Our immediate subject reimbursement is a retention methodology that uses incentive milestones carefully placed at specific intervals so that participating subjects are continually recognized for their valued participation. Immediate subject reimbursement as successfully implemented by TKL:

• Reinforces study compliance and
• Motivates patients to complete their study obligations

Site/Patient Communication Plan

TKL recognizes that there are reasons other than safety or adverse events that cause patients to discontinue active participation in a clinical trial. That’s why we implement concomitant retention strategies that start with a strong site/patient communication plan that may include:

• Patient education and support materials
• Patient newsletters
• Appointment and compliance reminder programs
• Recognition programs
• Follow-up programs

Immediate Patient Recovery Process

TKL also offers a patient retention program designed to recover patients “lost to follow-up.” With this recovery plan, known as the immediate patient recovery process, TKL will work with site coordinators to investigate the patients’ reasons for discontinuation and then assist with solution development and implementation that might include:

• Offering more convenient appointment times
• Re-education of participation and study goal requirements
• Appointment reminders and phone calls

EU and ROW Experience

TKL has successfully implemented both patient recruitment and patient retention programs in the US, EU and ROW. Our extensive EU and ROW experience allows us to fully understand and comply with current Ethics Committee regulations and customs of the countries in which we are conducting studies. Our recruitment and retention strategies are specific and appropriate to each country participating in a global clinical trial.

Patient Retention Services for Study Coordinators

TKL understands that successful patient retention programs depend not only on patient motivation, but also on study coordinator education and rewards. Study coordinators who build strong partnerships with study patients show more positive outcomes in patient retention and less loss to follow up. To achieve that level of rapport, TKL can provide study coordinators and study support staff with the following important materials:

• Patient retention training for study coordinators
• Patient retention guide for study coordinators (binder, booklet)
• Study coordinator satisfaction questionnaire
• Study coordinator newsletters
• Study coordinator teleconferences
• Study coordinator appreciation packages
• Study support staff appreciation packages
• Therapeutic area support and resource guide

As part of this success package and to help bond patients to both the study and the study coordinator, TKL can also provide proven retention materials such as:

• Visit reminders/patient retention card kits
• Study-specific aids and education kits
• Wallet cards
• Patient satisfaction questionnaire
• Clinical waiting room items
• Patient newsletters

Learn more about our Recruitment Services, download our Patient Recruitment Management brochure or hear about our Recruitment Successes.