Recruitment and Network Capacity
The goal of Network Capacity is to expand Frontiers programs with an emphasis on supporting multicenter research studies and national Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) initiatives. Included in this goal is connecting researchers with training and collaborative opportunities. (The following services and resources are free.)
The Recruitment and Network Capacity Navigator guides users through the no-cost recruitment and clinical trial resources available to Frontiers members, such as our Trial Innovation Network (TIN). Our resources are designed to be accessible for all science team members, including coordinators, managers, and investigators. The navigator will also help evaluate your study’s current channels for recruitment and if there are any others that can enhance activity. For additional information or to request a consultation, please click here.
Getting Started
Faster Together, Enhancing the Recruitment in Clinical Trials
This is a free public Coursera course developed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It will take you through 8 modules (~1 hour each) that cover different aspects of study recruitment including community engagement, person-centered retention, community healthcare provider outreach, effective screening and education, and more.
Design, Analyze, Communicate Recruitment Plan Template
This is a program from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that shares a free recruitment plan template. The program also contains other clinical trial tools and resources that may be beneficial to explore.
Trial Innovation Network (TIN)
Trial Innovation Network (TIN)
One of the unique advantages available to CTSA Programs is access to TIN resources. The TIN is a national network of all the CTSA programs with the goal of accelerating clinical translational research. These resources are designed to promote investigator training and collaboration on multicenter studies. The Recruitment and Network Capacity Navigator acts as Frontiers Liaison to this network and can provide additional information.
Is a National Institutes of Health funded web-based platform that matches interested participants with study teams. Interested participants can make a profile and include as much health history as they choose. When study teams post their studies on Researchmatch.org, participant profiles that match the study’s criteria will be sent a custom invitation message from the study team. The participant can then decide if they want to connect with the study team or not.
As researcher, you can also run feasibility queries on Researchmatch’s participant registry without needing to recruit by creating a researcher profile.
Trial Innovation Network Toolkits
A self-serve repository of guides, handbooks, templates, courses, slide decks, and shared experiences related to clinical trial design and recruitment. These are developed and provided by other CTSA programs and are meant to help you get started with any of the following topics and more:
- Standard Agreements
- Data and Safety Monitoring Board Templates
- Single IRB Training
- Study and Budget Design
- EHR Cohort Assessment
- Recruitment and Retention
- Community Engagement
- Dissemination Guide
Trial Innovation Network Consultations
Investigators can have their multicenter (2+ sites) grant proposals developed and/or evaluated before submission by national experts who specialize in different areas. This consult is more for study design and concept rather than the actual write-up. Criteria for a proposal consult include that it is a multicenter (2+ sites) study, includes all demographics, and preferred to be more than 60 days from grant submission but those that have less time are still encouraged to apply.
Trial Innovation Network Expressions of Interest
Announcements will be made from TIN when multicenter studies are recruiting other sites to join. These opportunities will be disseminated from Network Capacity to the relevant disciplines to apply if interested. Conversely, this resource can be used to submit your multicenter study to recruit other sites with your own announcement.
Frontiers Recruitment Applications
Frontiers Trial Finder App (Android) (iOS)
This is a mobile application that acts as a directory and resource for current clinical trials at our partner sites. You’ll be able to browse trials and connect with study teams for more information.
Frontiers University of Kansas Accrual App (Link, must be on KUMC network)
For our University of Kansas Medical Center teams, we have developed a web-based application to help teams evaluate the progress of their study accrual goals. An in-house developed algorithm uses metrics such as current accruals along with target accruals and dates to predict if goals will be met. We believe this tool can be helpful for those that need to manage multiple studies and evaluate their long-term performances.
Please reach out if you have any questions or feedback about either application.
Network Capacity
Interested in Learning More?
One of our Navigators would be happy to assist you in learning more about their respective areas by contacting us below.
