Building a Recruitment
Engine from the Ground Up
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The Reality Before Trial Aid
Recruitment was unstructured and unpredictable. Enrollment relied on luck rather than systems.
01
No defined recruitment strategy or patient outreach plan
02
Social media accounts existed but were inactive and inconsistent
03
Patient inquiries were handled informally by coordinators when time allowed
04
No standardized screening or follow-up process
05
Screen failures were common due to late eligibility review
06
Patient experience varied depending on who answered the phone
Site Profile
The site had strong investigators and study opportunities but no structured way to consistently attract, screen, or retain participants.
01
Independent Clinical Research Site
An independent research site with strong investigators and active study opportunities but no dedicated recruitment infrastructure in place.
02
No Recruitment Function in Place
No internal recruiters or call center, minimal social media presence, and no active advertising. Enrollment relied almost entirely on physician referrals and walk-in patients.
03
Opportunity Without a System
Despite strong clinical capability, the site lacked a structured way to consistently attract, screen, and retain study participants making enrollment unpredictable and difficult to scale.
01
Marketing & Social Media
Trial Aid took full ownership of the site’s marketing and social presence, elevating the public image to reflect professionalism, trust, and clinical credibility.
Branding, tone, and messaging were standardized, and study-specific recruitment campaigns were launched across relevant social channels fully aligned with IRB and sponsor requirements.
32%
44%
53%
21%
27%
02
Recruitment Hiring & Training
Trial Aid recruited and onboarded a dedicated patient recruiter. Training went far beyond call handling and focused on protocol literacy, ethical communication, and patient education.
The recruiter was trained to:
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Interpret inclusion and exclusion criteria accurately
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Understand visit schedules, procedures, and patient burden
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Communicate investigational treatments clearly and responsibly
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Engage patients confidently without overpromising
Recruitment shifted from call-taking to informed patient engagement.
2
+
2
4
+
4
8
+
8
16
+
16
03
Screening Accuracy & Lead Qualification
Trial Aid strengthened early eligibility review by implementing structured screening scripts and qualification workflows reducing preventable screen failures and wasted coordinator time.
87K
27%
04
Patient-Centered Customer Service Workflow
A standardized, patient-centered communication workflow was designed, including intake scripts, follow-up timelines, and escalation paths.
Patients experienced consistent, professional communication from first contact through screening and enrollment improving trust and retention.
05
Call Center Foundation
Trial Aid created the operational foundation for a future call center, including call handling standards, lead tracking workflows, performance metrics, and reporting structures.
Training materials were developed to support future recruiter hires ensuring scalability without loss of quality or control.
06
Recruitment Operations Infrastructure
End-to-end recruitment workflows were documented and standardized, enabling leadership to monitor performance, identify bottlenecks, and scale enrollment predictably across studies.
What Changed
The Results the Site Actually Felt
A site manager shared:
“We went from hoping patients would find us to running real campaigns that actually work.”
Improved visibility into study-level and portfolio-level profitability
01
Consistent patient inquiries across multiple studies
02
Improved lead qualification and reduced screen failures
03
A trained recruiter capable of representing the site professionally
04
A stronger, more credible public-facing clinic presence
05
How Trial Aid Got Involved
Recruitment was unstructured and unpredictable. Enrollment relied on luck rather than systems.
01
No Defined Recruitment Strategy or Patient Outreach Plan
Trial Aid identified the absence of a structured recruitment strategy, where enrollment relied on ad hoc efforts rather than planned, protocol-driven outreach limiting consistency, predictability, and growth.
02
Inactive and Inconsistent Social Media Presence
Trial Aid assessed the site’s digital presence and found social channels existed but lacked consistent messaging, branding, and study-specific campaigns resulting in low visibility and minimal patient engagement.
03
Patient Inquiries Handled Informally by Coordinators
Trial Aid recognized that inbound patient inquiries were managed reactively by coordinators when time allowed, diverting focus from study execution and creating delays, missed opportunities, and inconsistent responses.
04
No Standardized Screening or Follow-Up Process
Trial Aid identified the lack of a defined screening and follow-up workflow, where eligibility checks, callbacks, and next steps varied by individual leading to inefficiencies and preventable enrollment loss.
05
Late Eligibility Review Driving Screen Failures
Trial Aid observed that inclusion and exclusion criteria were often reviewed too late in the process, causing unnecessary screen failures and wasted effort for both staff and patients.
06
Inconsistent Patient Experience Across Touchpoints
Trial Aid identified variability in patient experience depending on who answered the phone impacting trust, clarity, and retention from first contact through screening.
Are You Ready to Transform Your
Research Site?
Contact us and request a free consultation today!
From “Capable but
Overlooked”
to Sponsor-Trusted
Research Partner
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