Five Must-Know Medical Communication Strategies Backed by Patient Insights

A survey conducted by the PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific shows what patients prioritize in their medical communications. Learn more about key insights and strategies for putting them into action.

As the demand for patient-centric clinical trials increases, understanding and adapting to patients’ preferred communication methods is more important than ever.

That’s why the PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific surveyed more than 1,400 patients in the United States and United Kingdom to uncover how they prefer to communicate during clinical trials. By examining preferred methods, timing and contact needs, the study provides valuable insights to help sponsors engage participants, support retention and streamline study timelines.

Failing to align with patient preferences can lead to costly challenges, including recruitment delays and participant dropout. In contrast, meeting patients where they are — through personalized, flexible communication — can improve response rates, reduce delays and accelerate trial efficiency.

As competition for enrolling the right patients into a clinical study becomes more challenging, adopting patient-preferred medical communication strategies offers a crucial advantage. By fostering stronger engagement and retention, sponsors can achieve faster, more reliable trial outcomes and bring therapies to market sooner.

Survey specifics

To uncover actionable insights on patient communication preferences, a total of 1,400 patients from the U.K. and U.S. and shared their experiences and opinions.

Geography:

• 73% from the United Kingdom
• 27% from the United States

Age:

• 65–70 years old: 54%
• 55–64 years old: 45%
• 18–54 and 71+ years old: 1%

The survey aimed to address several key questions critical to optimizing patient communication:

1. What are patients’ preferred communication methods?
Respondents selected from options such as email, phone calls, text messaging and video chat.

2. When do patients prefer to receive communications?
By identifying the best time of day and preferred frequency for contact, sponsors can align outreach with patient schedules, reducing the risk of disengagement.

3. What types of additional support do patients find valuable?
Participants provided feedback on services like flexible scheduling, transportation assistance and regular study updates, offering actionable insights to improve the patient experience.

The findings provided essential insights that enable sponsors to communicate more effectively with patients, fostering a positive experience that supports both engagement and retention throughout the trial process.

Five key insights for successful medical communications programs

Patient feedback revealed five critical insights that sponsors can use to shape more effective medical communication strategies in clinical trials.

Insight 1: There is no one-size-fits-all communication strategy

The survey confirmed that patient communication preferences vary widely, making a mixed-communication channel approach essential. That said, phone calls maintained relevance across the board, particularly where contact is needed to resolve technology, transportation and medication issues.

• Sponsors should be prepared to use email, SMS and phone calls to meet diverse patient needs.
• Flexibility is key, as preferences differ across demographics and regions. For example, U.K. patients preferred email, while U.S. patients leaned toward text messaging.

By embracing a multi-channel strategy, sponsors can better engage with patients across varying preferences.

Insight 2: Patients over 55 show the highest engagement with clinical trial communications

Patients aged 55–70 demonstrated the highest levels of engagement with trial communications, particularly study updates and reminders.

• This group’s strong engagement may be influenced by several factors, including having more time to participate and a preference for direct, personal communication. Their willingness to connect with patient navigators and trial staff highlights the importance of offering accessible and responsive communication channels. Sponsors should prioritize clear, accessible formats that cater to older demographics, who are more invested in clinical research participation.

Focusing on this highly engaged group can yield meaningful benefits for retention and trial efficiency.

Insight 3: Patient-centric communication is essential for retention

Respecting patient communication preferences is vital to maintaining engagement and avoiding dropouts.

• Effective communication fosters trust, helping patients feel valued and reducing the likelihood of opting out.
• Retention is critical, as patient recruitment is resource-intensive, and dropouts can lead to costly delays.

By prioritizing patient-centered communication, sponsors can improve both the trial experience and overall efficiency.

Insight 4: Regional preferences matter for multinational trials

Distinct communication preferences emerged between U.K. and U.S. patients, emphasizing the need for localized medical communication strategies.

• U.K. participants showed a preference for email, while U.S. participants favored SMS.
• Tailoring communication approaches by region ensures better engagement in multinational trials.

Sponsors should integrate these regional insights to optimize responsiveness and foster stronger connections with participants.

Insight 5: Support services enhance patient satisfaction

Patients expressed interest in support services that improve the trial experience, such as:

• Regular check-ins aligned with preferred contact methods to monitor progress and provide support
• Communication of questions or concerns to study site staff to ensure additional support when needed
• Patient website through which questions and requests can be submitted and addressed
• Reimbursement assistance for study-related expenses

Offering these services enhances patient satisfaction and promotes ongoing engagement. Sponsors who prioritize these supports can differentiate themselves and build stronger patient relationships, ultimately driving trial success.

Putting insights into action

To translate these insights into effective medical communication strategies, sponsors should implement patient-centered approaches that align with the communication preferences and needs of participants. These key steps will enhance communication, increase engagement and, ultimately, improve trial outcomes.

Develop a multi-channel communication strategy

Sponsors should implement a communication approach that includes email, SMS, phone calls and patient portals, allowing patients to engage in the way that suits them best.

• Create flexible communication plans to accommodate various preferences, especially since no single method was universally preferred. This ensures broader reach and engagement across diverse demographics.
• Leverage multiple channels to ensure patients remain connected and informed throughout the trial, increasing engagement and improving overall trial efficiency.

Prioritize clear and accessible messaging for older patients

Patients aged 55 and older showed the highest engagement, so communication formats and language should be tailored to meet their needs.

• Use simple, clear messaging with visuals where possible to make study updates and reminders easy to follow.
• Ensure accessibility by providing alternative formats for patients with varying levels of technological proficiency or cognitive ability.

Focusing on these adjustments can improve the experience for older patients, boosting their participation and engagement.

Implement patient-centric communication practices to boost retention

Maintaining ongoing communication with patients and ensuring their needs are met is key to improving retention.

• Regularly gather feedback on communication preferences from enrolled patients to ensure ongoing alignment with their needs throughout the trial.
• Personalize outreach and follow-ups based on individual preferences, helping patients feel valued and supported. This reduces the likelihood of dropout and improves retention rates.

A patient-centric approach builds trust and reinforces commitment to the trial.

Adapt communication tactics for regional preferences in multinational trials

For trials with participants from multiple regions, it’s essential to tailor outreach to local preferences to improve responsiveness.

• Customize communications by region — such as using email for U.K. patients and SMS for U.S. patients — based on survey findings.
• Assign regional support teams to manage communication, ensuring cultural nuances and preferences are respected and incorporated.

This approach leads to better engagement and fosters stronger relationships with patients.

Offer additional support services to enhance the patient experience

Providing support services that align with patient needs can significantly improve satisfaction and engagement.

• Offer services like flexible scheduling, transportation assistance and regular study updates to reduce barriers to participation and enhance the trial experience.
• Communicate these support options clearly to patients from the start, so they feel fully supported and valued throughout the study.

By offering these services, sponsors can build stronger, more trusting relationships with participants, leading to higher retention and more reliable trial outcomes.

Unlocking the key to faster, more successful trials with patient-centric medical communications

Effective communication is essential for accelerating clinical trial progress and ensuring patient retention. By leveraging a multi-channel strategy, tailoring messages to specific patient demographics and offering valuable support services, sponsors can enhance participant engagement and streamline the entire study process.

We specialize in crafting patient-centric medical communications solutions that connect with patients throughout every stage of their journey. With more than 30 years of experience successfully supporting hundreds of pharmaceutical companies and product launches, we are equipped to meet the diverse needs of global patient populations.

Our teams handle more than 1 million inquiries annually in 20 languages across 95 countries, ensuring seamless communication and support. With our expertise at your side, you’ll lead a medical communications program that accelerates recruitment, reduces delays and drives clinical trials forward with greater efficiency and success.