Best Practices to Ensure Patient Retention

Gorelick: We have viewed this as a recruitment triangle. There's three sides to the triangle; one is the patient, one is the family member and one is the healthcare provider, often times it's a physician. If any one component of that triangle falls apart, the patient won't stay in the study. They will lose their trust in the study, so you've got to get the healthcare provider again - often times the doctor - on board, they've got to be aware that the patient is considering the study or has entered the study. Preferably you get their blessing before the patient goes into the study. You've got to have family members on board and of course the patient on board, and if you can keep those three sides of the triangle together, the triangle stays together and the patient will be recruitable and retainable.