Patient Navigators Play an Important Role in Most Studies

What is a Patient Navigator?

A Patient Navigator is a primary resource for patients and caregivers, providing support throughout their clinical trial journey. The Patient Navigator acts as the centralized point of contact connecting patients to physician sites, providing study details, conducting study screenings, assisting patients with transportation, travel accommodations, and reimbursements. Our Patient Navigators build relationships with each patient and caregiver while providing the following support:

1. Patient communication to support compliance executed through various channels: patient reminders via text, phone, email or mobile applications
2. Study Hotline available to patients providing direct access to frequently asked questions about the study or clinical trials
3. Each patient navigator is well versed on local support options available to patients relative to inclusion and possible mitigation strategies for dropping out. This includes working with patients on study barriers that may be related to low income, transportation, childcare, language or ability to read forms and convey study commitments or accommodations to each patient.
4. Proactive outreach strategy to ensure patients are reminded of study visits. Our navigators conduct 5 follow-ups through texts, emails and phone calls to build a relationship and assist patients with adherence to treatment and other study protocol related criteria.

Relating our Patient Navigator Service to a Schizophrenia study

Community health workers and patient navigators played an important role in several schizophrenia studies. Our team would work in community settings and collaborate with each of the local sites. Our Patient Navigators would serve as a primary resource for patients and caregivers by linking patients to physician sites, providing study details, conducting study screenings, and coordinating assistance or transportation, among other accommodations.

Elligo’s referenced study saw more than 70% of connection rates through the first and second communication attempts with patient & caregivers, significantly improving overall compliance when patients were already enrolled in the study. Our patient navigators, all of which have been prior study coordinators, relied on the pervasive influence of communication technology, through a comprehensive messaging system that included upwards of 5 follow-ups through texts, emails and phone calls to build a relationship and assist patients with adherence to treatment and other study protocol related criteria. This is key to several of our schizophrenia studies success as a major way to build a relationship as a go-to resource for these caregivers by driving local support options, support in providing guidance on employment or education for patient, among others.

In addition to study protocol follow-ups, information about disease management protocols was disseminated to the patients and caregivers along with educational messages and alerts. Our team monitored relevant patient data and conducted the appropriate follow-up.  Survey results showed that participants with patient navigators incorporated made more study visits and provided a number of testimonials on study satisfaction.