Top Recruitment Methods for Medical Market Research Patients

Updated on August 10, 2020

Patient market research plays a crucial part in medical research as a whole. Only those patients who have lived through certain diseases and treatment options themselves can discuss firsthand their experiences and what it’s like to live with such conditions daily. This can offer unique insights into medical research and treatment options. Their opinion also allows medical professionals to better understand conditions from a fresh perspective. 

Despite the importance of patient market research, it can be a complicated endeavor. The situation needs to be handled with care, not to mention specific criteria that can make it a lot more complicated. 

In light of this, here are some essential recruitment methods for research patients to make the process significantly easier. 

Social Media Search 

Not only has social media grown to be an integral part of society, but it has also grown to become a critical method for any form of job recruitment. This includes the medical market research category. Social media offers an easy and cost-effective way to find, reach out, and connect with patients. As 1.47 billion people use Facebook daily, it’s clear to see why this offers a plethora of research patient potential. 

Not only that, but social media search is a boon when required to search based on specific classifications, such as gender, age, and location, and is a method endorsed by medical market research specialists like Gillian Kenny

Make Contact with Support Groups

Support groups are ideal for targeting specific diseases or conditions, as these people gather for the very reason to discuss their own experience and suffering. This means that support groups can be very beneficial for patient market research recruitment. Support groups can even consist of thousands of people together for one purpose, meaning a range of members who adhere to specific research criteria. 

Furthermore, support groups are ideal opportunities for word-of-mouth recommendations and recruitment, broadening your access to a variety of patients. Members of these groups may speak to others about your research or invite others to come along and take part. 

Speak with the Professionals 

It’s an idea to contact the relevant healthcare professionals in your chosen area, such as physicians and nurses when conducting research. These professionals might be able to help you find and contact the ideal type of patient with certain conditions. Furthermore, healthcare contacts will be able to provide further support and information regarding patients, such as medical history or medication. These professionals will also have already harnessed a relationship of trust with their patients, and this can be extremely helpful if they are to put in a recommendation to the patient for them to take part in research, especially when dealing with a more sensitive or difficult illness. 

Reach Out to KOLs

Key opinion leaders can be valuable assets when trying to make contact with a variety of patients. They can work as a central contact focus for many patients nationwide, and this can be extremely helpful if you’re dealing with a very specific criteria and need a certain type of patient. 

Contacting KOLs may require some persistence, however, as it can take a while to develop a relationship. When making contact, think about emails, formal letters, and telephone calls. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.