Poorly consented patients lead to high drop out rates and a potential shortfall in the datasets necessary to achieve a successful submission. However, no electronic solution can replace the trusted Doctor / Patient relationship.
When designing Clinpal – we decided that we would never fully replace the need for a Doctor / Patient engagement. Geeks among us my like to work with computers, but, ultimately, when it comes to trust, we all have a greater level of empathy with a person – our Doctor.
WIth Clinpal, our Informed Consent approach is to assist with rather than replace the Doctor / Patient consent activity. This is why we refer to it ‘Electronic Assisted Informed Consent’. Patients are given access to the electronic consent form – available on tablets or regular browser based computers. It is specifically designed to be as super friendly as possible. The term ‘game-ification’ has been used – we believe that under-sells the concept. What we provide is an environment that allows the patient to understand their involvement in a study, AND for the the level of understand to be documented and communication to the Investigator. The investigator can then use this information to focus discussions with the patient in the areas that require attention.
Result – more focused time spent with the patient, and a more informed, engaged patient that is more likely to maintain their involvement in the study.