Chapter 4
Crafting a Retention
Strategy and Toolkit
Objectives
+Define
+
the four elements of a retention strategy
+ + Explore how these elements can be applied to a clinical trial
+ + Present a toolkit of materials to facilitate the process of creating a
retention strategy
+ + Examine the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative as a case study of
ways to successfully incorporate a retention strategy
Enrollment represents only the beginning of the participant
journey. Most of an individual’s experience with a trial takes
place afterward. Therefore it is critical to put measures into
place to ensure a positive experience for participants, and
the site staff taking care of them, throughout the remainder
of their journey. One way to achieve this is to develop a
retention strategy early in the clinical trial planning phase.
A strong retention strategy consists of four elements:
1) facilitate participation; 2) communicate study progress;
3) express appreciation; and 4) share study results. The
process of creating a retention strategy also brings to light
potential sources of attrition, which can increase study costs
and reduce the validity of results. By anticipating these
off-ramps, you can take steps to mitigate them.
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Accelerating Clinical Trials: Best Practices for Recruitment and Retention