Recruitment in clinical trials is a complex process involving not only patients but physicians, sponsors, trials professionals and research staff. Hindered by tight timelines and often fragmented communications, recruitment rates can be disappointingly low. Often the information used in clinical trials can be quite lengthy and due to legal requirements, to meet governing body standards, can contain a lot of jargon.
It was felt that using video could support the patient by making communication more visual and easier to digest.Testing of the use of video took place as part of the STRENGTH trial* across three sites, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundaiton Trust, Barts Health NHS Trust and Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation.
It included the use of 2 GP and 3 patient facing videos .
So what are the results? We are still a few months off the end of the recruitment phase but the striking thing is the level of support we have already received, with the message that videos have had a significant impact on patients’ understanding and engagement.
Take a look at the recruitment figures from Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust from the graph above.There were three patients recruited when the study first opened in 2015 but then no recruitment between January and May 2016.
Since launching the videos in June, Torbay have recruited one person a month apart from August when they recruited two, making nine patients against their total target of twelve.
Feedback from clinical research teams is also positive as you can see from the video here at http://www.healthandcarevideos.com/latest-news/videos-boost-clinical-trials/
*The Strength Trial looks at how a highly concentrated fish oil pill could reduce the effects of heart disease and lower the risk of having a stroke or another stroke. It is a 5 year trial.