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Short report
Utility of an automated notification system for recruitment of research subjects
  1. Eden Cardozo1,
  2. William J Meurer2,
  3. Barbara L Smith2,
  4. Jolie C Holschen2,3
  1. 1School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  2. 2Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  3. 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  1. Correspondence to Jolie C Holschen, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Taubman Center B1 354, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA; jolieh{at}umich.edu

Abstract

Background Experience with a novel method of notifying investigators about research subjects in a university-based emergency department (ED) is reported.

Methods An automated paging system was linked to the electronic medical record to identify inclusion criteria and notify investigators at the time of ED triage. The rate of study enrolment 2 months before and after implementation of the automated system was compared and the time from triage completion to investigator notification was assessed.

Results During the first 2-month period, 1/17 eligible patients were identified by staff. During the second 2-month period, 1/7 eligible patients were identified by staff while the automated paging system recognised 7/7 eligible patients, an absolute increase of 94.5%. The median time from completion of triage to automated notification of investigators was 0 min.

Conclusion Automated paging using the electronic medical record has the potential to improve enrolment in clinical research studies by improving the speed and sensitivity of identifying eligible subjects.

  • Management
  • data management
  • mental health

https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2009.081299

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    Footnotes

    • Funding This work was funded internally through the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan.

    • Competing interests None.

    • Ethics approval This study was approved by the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.