Recruiting and Engaging Healthcare Professionals and Patients in U.S. Research: A Practical Playbook for 2025

Recruitment and engagement of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients are the foundation of high-quality research in the U.S. Yet, despite decades of investment, recruitment remains the most common reason for delays and failures in studies. Rising costs, digital fatigue, and mistrust among both clinicians and patients make recruitment an increasingly complex challenge.

This white paper synthesises current evidence and best practices for recruitment in healthcare and patient research. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews, and operational insights, we present a 10-step playbook for designing and executing recruitment that works in the U.S. context.

The paper highlights three key findings:

1. Human networks still matter most. Clinician referrals, professional associations, and trusted advocacy groups consistently outperform impersonal outreach in engaging participants.

2. Convenience and clarity drive participation. Practical barriers such as time and scheduling explain more attrition than disinterest or distrust.

3. Multi-modal strategies improve reach. Blending digital and offline channels mitigates demographic bias and improves representativeness.

Recruitment is often treated as a technical task: write an invitation, send it to a panel, and wait for responses. In reality, recruitment is a human process first, and a technical one second. Participants weigh time, relevance, trust, and value before joining research.

In the U.S., recruitment challenges are acute. Clinical trials consistently report low response rates and difficulties in meeting enrollment targets. For example, one systematic review found that 78% of recruitment strategies relied on clinician networks, yet these networks remain underused in practice (BMC Medical Research Methodology).

For patients, barriers are often practical: lack of transport, lack of time, or a sense that participation does not benefit them. In a 2024 review, researchers noted that “practical barriers to participation often explain non-response as much as distrust” (Frontiers in Public Health).

If recruitment fails, research fails. This white paper provides a structured approach to solving this challenge.

Current Evidence

Human Networks and Trust

The most successful recruitment strategies are built on trust. Clinicians recommending a study to peers or patients is far more effective than cold outreach. Associations, advocacy groups, and community leaders can also act as trusted intermediaries.

“In practice, recruitment strategies that lean on trusted clinical networks and remove small, practical barriers for participants produce the best outcomes.” (Yoong et al., 2023, BMC Health Services Research)

Convenience as a Driver

Patients and busy clinicians often decline participation because of time constraints. Flexibility (remote interviews, mobile-friendly surveys, off-hours scheduling) and short, clear instructions improve enrollment.

Multi-Modal Outreach

Digital-first strategies alone often miss older, rural, or underserved populations. Evidence shows that a multi-modal approach, including email, phone, SMS, clinician referrals, and in-clinic recruitment, improves reach and reduces bias (JMIR Formative Research).

A 10-Step Playbook for Recruitment

1. Start with segmentation and feasibility Define HCP specialties, patient cohorts, and geographies. Run feasibility checks with panels and clinical networks before finalising sample sizes.

2. Use clinician referrals and site champions first Train and incentivise clinicians and managers to act as study ambassadors. Provide toolkits with FAQs and scripts.

3. Design a multimodal contact plan Use digital and offline channels. For HCPs: email plus LinkedIn plus short phone follow-ups. For patients: SMS reminders, in-clinic outreach, and mobile surveys.

4. Respect participant time For HCPs: keep surveys under 10 minutes unless justified by incentives. For patients: offer flexibility, remote options, and transparent timelines.

5. Be transparent about compliance Clearly explain HIPAA compliance, IRB approval (if applicable), and data protection measures. Transparency builds trust.

6. Use audience-appropriate incentives For HCPs: CME credits or professional recognition often outperform cash. For patients: gift cards, travel stipends, or donations to advocacy groups resonate strongly.

7. Offer feasibility updates and interim reports Keep sponsors and stakeholders informed with regular updates. This creates room for adjustments before issues escalate.

8. Implement rigorous screening and quality checks Verify credentials (e.g., NPI checks for HCPs), use digital fingerprinting, and apply attention checks to ensure sample quality.

9. Build for retention Ask permission to re-contact participants. Create communities or panels to reduce future recruitment costs.

10. Document and share learnings Publish anonymised recruitment insights. Building transparency strengthens credibility and helps refine industry best practices.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: Recruiting HCPs for a Cardiology Study A U.S. pharma client needed 250 cardiologists to test reactions to a new treatment guideline. Using clinician referrals through professional associations plus CME credits as incentives, Insights Alchemy achieved full recruitment in three weeks, with a 70% response rate.

Case Study 2: Engaging Patients in a Diabetes Study For a diabetes device trial, practical barriers were the biggest obstacle. By offering remote video consultations, evening scheduling, and small stipends for transport, patient enrollment rose by 45%.

Case Study 3: Multimodal Outreach for Rural Populations An NGO project needed responses from rural populations on healthcare access. Combining SMS campaigns with community health worker referrals delivered a balanced sample in under 30 days.

Operational Checklist

• Feasibility check and recruitment script

• Toolkit for clinician champions

• Incentive matrix (HCPs vs. patients)

• Data quality and fraud detection plan

• Weekly reporting templates

• Consent forms with compliance checks

Recommendations

• Invest in clinician networks and site champions before panels or cold outreach.

• Design for participant convenience by removing small barriers like scheduling and format.

• Adopt multi-modal recruitment to avoid bias and improve representation.

• Use tailored incentives aligned with participant values.

• Build retention communities to reduce future recruitment costs.

Conclusion

Recruitment is not just an operational hurdle it is the cornerstone of credible research. In the U.S., the challenges are real, but so are the solutions. By combining trust-building strategies, practical convenience, and multi-modal outreach, researchers can recruit faster, reduce costs, and improve data quality.

In the words of one review: “Recruitment is best understood as a process of engagement rather than a single task of enrollment.” (Yoong et al., 2023)

References

1. Yoong, S.L., et al. (2023). Strategies to increase research engagement by health professionals and organisations. BMC Health Services Research. Link

2. Fletcher, B., et al. (2019). Strategies to improve recruitment to randomised trials. BMC Medical Research Methodology. Link

3. Hung, A., et al. (2024). Recruitment successes and challenges in clinical trials. Frontiers in Public Health. Link

Bennett, G., et al. (2021). Recruitment methods in multicenter cohorts. JMIR Formative Research. Link