Patient Recruitment

Recruitment is a critical factor in the success or failure of clinical trials. The impact goes beyond the study to the health of our community and its citizens.

The importance of recruitment

If we fail to meet clinical trial enrollment goals, it can:

  • Delay the development of new medical treatments and therapies
  • Prolong the amount of time it takes for the research to actually impact population health
  • Increase costs for staffing, overhead and other administrative costs
  • Inability to draw conclusions because of loss of statistical power

Furthermore, enhancing the diversity of clinical trial participants is imperative to reflecting the many different communities in our area. The recruitment of underrepresented populations is key to ensuring that medical discoveries are appropriate and effective for everyone. Addressing barriers to participation can increase the diversity of participants and positively impact relationships between the academic and local community.

On this page:

Recruitment help

Consult with the Recruitment Team.

Who do we work with to assist with recruitment?

The Community Engagement Team (CET) at the CTSI is made up of a director, a community research facilitator and a community recruitment liaison. One of the CET’s main objectives is to increase the overall participation in clinical trials, with a special focus on the recruitment and retention of disparate populations.

Request a consultation through the online CTSA request portal.

What resources are available to assist with recruitment?

  • Assistance creating or refining strategies for recruitment and retention of special populations
  • Linking researchers with appropriate community partners
  • Assistance in creating culturally sensitive recruitment and dissemination materials
  • Identifying opportunities to market or advertise studies at health fairs and community programs
  • Assistance for research teams in writing their consent forms as well as training coordinators and assistants in informed consent best practices
  • Buffalo Research Registry (BRR)
    • The BRR is a registry of local people from Buffalo and Western New York who have shown interest in being research study volunteers. Potential participants fill out a health profile that is used to match them with eligible research studies based on the information they provide and the interests they have indicated. BRR's goal is to connect willing volunteers and researchers quickly and appropriately.
  • Assistance in registering trials and studies on ResearchMatch 

How much time does it take to receive assistance with recruitment?

After you have submitted your request through the online CTSI request portal, the Community Engagement Team typically responds to your request within 24-48 hours during the workweek.

  • If your study is in the planning or grant writing phase:

The CET can help you conceptualize a recruitment approach best suited for your research. They can offer insight on recruitment tools and compensation models, connect you with community partners, provide coordinator training and facilitate a review of your study materials by community members.

  • If your study is already IRB approved:

The CET will request the study’s IRB approved protocol for review, as well as any IRB approved recruitment materials.

Once they review the study materials, they will ask for a meeting (by phone or in-person) to ask and answer questions, present strategies, and confirm that they understand what's needed from them, so you can best accomplish your goals.

Notes / Additional References

For more information on the services provided by the CTSA Community Engagement Core, please visit http://www.buffalo.edu/ctsi/cores/community.html.