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Award winning technology helps NIHR increase clinical trial recruitment in primary care

Recruit, our award-winning clinical trial recruitment solution, has enabled the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to identify and invite over 560,000 patients to join clinical research trials.

Facilitating research delivery in primary care

The NIHR’s 2022 strategy highlighted the need to “develop, promote, and facilitate high-quality research in primary care.” As custodians of extensive, cradle-to-grave patient data, primary care teams have the potential to transform clinical trial recruitment, supporting research that is more inclusive and representative of our population.

As the leading clinical system provider for primary care in the UK, Optum (formerly EMIS) is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between primary care and clinical research. We understand that while primary care data holds immense potential, it can only be harnessed if the technology is simple, quick, and unobtrusive.

That’s why we developed Recruit — designed to unlock the power of primary care data without burdening already overstretched teams. Recently recognised with two industry awards for innovation, Recruit delivers bespoke searches against Electronic Health Records (EHR), enabling primary care teams to identify potentially eligible patients for clinical trials and invite them with just a few clicks.

Simplifying clinical trial access

As part of the NIHR, the Research Delivery Network (RDN)'s mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. In collaboration with Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs) in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, Recruit was implemented to drive clinical trial recruitment via local GP practices for four studies within the RDN portfolio across six months.

In a recent report, Newmarket Strategy revealed that more than two-thirds of healthcare practitioners are more likely to participate in research if integrated into their clinical system. This insight was evident in Greater Manchester, where the Network observed a remarkable 21% increase in patient invitations from practices using Recruit. With a rise in Recruit activations across the local area, the RDN has also seen an upturn in research-active practices across the region as a whole.

Compared to traditional invitation methods like manual searches, texting, and mailing printed letters, Recruit offers a streamlined and efficient approach. By eliminating the need for GPs to run or upload searches, Recruit saves valuable time while enabling a more environmentally friendly way to contact patients. For those without mobile phones or who prefer mail, the option to send letters remains available, ensuring no one is left out.

Incentivising GP participation

In his 2023 independent report for the UK Government on commercial clinical trials, Lord James O'Shaughnessy recommended financial incentives to encourage GP participation in research. Recruit offers a solution, enabling practices to be compensated for research activities in line with the NIHR primary care strategy. Not only is Recruit available to GP practices at no additional cost, but it facilitates payments for patients referred to trials.

The streamlined process of Recruit was a fantastic starting point for our journey into clinical trials. Having research data and searches readily available within our clinical systems made a significant difference. The simplicity of identifying and inviting eligible patients with just a click of a button was a valuable feature. Plus, receiving prompt payment was an added bonus!”

Paula Lock

Business Manager, The Brooke Surgery, Hyde

Driving inclusive participation

In collaboration with their respective RRDNs, practices using EMIS Web in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands have invited patients to participate in studies through Recruit. Overall, more than 560,000 invitations have been sent to patients identified as potentially eligible for trials across both regions using the Recruit tool.

Greater Manchester and the West Midlands RRDNs have also been able to use Recruit as a mechanism to tackle health inequalities, enabling practices serving underrepresented communities to more easily offer research opportunities to their patients.

Working with the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Networks to maximise their use of technology and create networks of GPs engaged in research, we believe we can deliver our shared mission to attract, optimise, and deliver impactful research across England.

You can learn more about how Optum is supporting clinical research recruitment by accessing out Recruit brochure.

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Customer story

Support research and boost revenue with Recruit

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Unlocking research opportunities with Recruit

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Meet the Surrey practice empowering patients to take part in clinical research

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