Outsourcing Patient Recruitment: What You Need To Know

With 85% of studies failing to meet their initial recruitment targets on time, low enrollment is a persistent challenge for clinical trials. While half of eligible patients express willingness to participate when offered the opportunity, awareness gaps, complex eligibility requirements, and limited site referrals constrain access to diverse populations. Adding recruitment responsibilities to already overburdened clinical researchers only compounds these challenges. As a result, sponsors and CROs are increasingly outsourcing patient recruitment to specialized vendors.

Outsourced recruitment partners deliver scalable solutions that extend beyond traditional advertising. Direct-to-patient targeting expands reach, while customized screeners, EMR integration, and layered pre-screening processes reduce screen failures and save sites time and resources. Dedicated engagement teams strengthen trust through empathetic communication and provide support to patients and sites throughout enrollment. By outsourcing recruitment, sponsors can accelerate enrollment, improve patient diversity, and reduce site burden, enabling trials to stay on schedule and within budget. Proven vendors such as AutoCruitment demonstrate that modern, outsourced models are not only faster and more efficient, but also more patient-centric.