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EHR phenotyping for research recruitment: Researcher, IRB, and physician perspectives on approaches to contacting patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2020

Laura M. Beskow*
Affiliation:
Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Kathleen M. Brelsford
Affiliation:
Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Catherine M. Hammack-Aviran
Affiliation:
Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
*
Address for correspondence: L.M. Beskow, MPH, PhD, Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. Email: laura.m.beskow@vanderbilt.edu
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Abstract

Introduction:

Failure to achieve accrual goals is a common problem in health-related research. Electronic health records represent a promising resource, offering the ability to identify a precisely defined cohort of patients who meet inclusion/exclusion criteria. However, challenges associated with the recruitment process remain and institutional policies vary.

Methods:

We interviewed researchers, institutional review board chairs, and primary care physicians in North Carolina and Tennessee. Questions focused on strategies for initiating contact with potentially eligible patients, as well as recruitment letters asking recipients to opt in versus opt out of further communication.

Results:

When we asked about initiating contact with prospective participants, qualitative themes included trust, credibility, and established relationships; research efficiency and validity; privacy and autonomy; the intersection between research and clinical care; and disruption to physician–researcher and physician–patient relationships. All interviewees said it was acceptable for researchers to contact patients through their physicians; most said it was acceptable for researchers to contact patients directly. Over half chose contact through physicians as more appropriate. Regarding recruitment letters, qualitative themes included the quality of the participant pool; privacy and control; research efficiency and representativeness; and patients’ opportunity to make their own decisions. All interviewees said asking recipients to opt in to further communication was acceptable; nearly all said opt out was acceptable. Similar proportions chose each approach as more appropriate.

Conclusions:

Comparing these results to our previous research with patients reveals potential differences in stakeholder perspectives. We offer suggestions for developing balanced approaches that respect patients and facilitate the advancement of science.

Information

Type
Research Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Association for Clinical and Translational Science 2020
Figure 0

Table 1. Hypothetical studya

Figure 1

Table 2. Participant characteristics (n = 41)

Figure 2

Table 3. Responses to recruitment vignette

Supplementary material: PDF

Beskow et al. supplementary material

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