How to Eliminate Travel as a Top Barrier to Clinical Trial Participation

In our summer survey of 2023, we asked sponsors and CROs where they would like to invest most as it relates to the patient experience. The top response was ‘participant travel’, an area consistently cited as a leading barrier to participation. 

At Greenphire, we understand the importance of providing reliable and convenient travel support for clinical trial participants. Our comprehensive travel service for global clinical trials, ConneX, has allowed us to help thousands of participants overcome logistical challenges and participate in trials that would otherwise not be feasible.

Part of offering a comprehensive service is having a robust global network in place with the experience, resources and agility to support unique participant requirements around the world. Below, I have highlighted a few unique scenarios and how we help remove the hurdles faced by participants.

Medical Visas

We assist families from around the world in obtaining medical visas. In one instance, a family from the Middle East had an opportunity to participate in a clinical trial that was being conducted in Boston, MA. They required a medical visa but were traveling from a country that did not facilitate the visa process. To help them navigate this predicament, the family traveled to Saudi Arabia, where they could then complete the visa process. This allowed them to travel back and forth between Saudi Arabia and Boston and participate in the clinical trial.

Long-Term Housing

Long-term accommodations are occasionally required as part of a clinical trial. Greenphire is dedicated to removing barriers for participants, families and caregivers, helping to navigate and alleviate complex logistical burdens. This has included arranging furnished suite-style hotels or apartments for extended periods of time. While the availability of long-term stay accommodations may vary depending on the trial’s location, in larger cities, we have been able to arrange accommodations at the trial site, such as Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. For these types of requirements, it is especially important to work diligently with our clients up front during study setup to ensure we capture all logistical requirements ahead of time. As such, our goal is to make sure there are no logistical hurdles that will prevent a participant from staying enrolled in a trial.

Patient Re-location

Ensuring the safety of participants in a clinical trial is paramount and Greenphire is dedicated to supporting this effort. A specific study we supported included sites and participants located in a country where there was an active conflict, putting the participants in danger. The sponsor enacted an initiative to extricate the participants from the country. They identified research sites in a different country and Greenphire helped to execute on the plan by arranging travel and accommodations to get the participants out of harm’s way.

Travel Restrictions

During the Pandemic, there were quite a few changes and hurdles to overcome – one key challenge being global travel restrictions. In a particular study, there was a participant who lived in France and would travel to their research site in Belgium. Cross-border travel restrictions were enacted, threatening the participant’s ability to stay enrolled in the trial. In response, our local travel agents took quick action and arranged for two cars to support a hand-off. One car would drive the participant to the Belgian border where the participant would walk across the border and get into the second car which would then complete the trip to the clinic. The same method was used on the way home. Ultimately, the participant was able to stay enrolled in the trial and with no disruption nor added burden on the participant and site.

Greenphire is committed to providing top-notch support to our clients and their participants throughout the clinical trial journey. Since the beginning of 2023, we have experienced a 35% increase in itineraries, with travel bookings arranged in nearly 50 countries worldwide. We understand that clinical trials can be complex and unpredictable, so we are constantly innovating and adapting our solutions and services to meet evolving challenges. 

Our goal is to be a flexible and dependable partner for our clients and ensure their participants have the best possible experience throughout the clinical trial process.

Want to learn more about how Greenphire can help alleviate the logistical and financial barriers to participation and trial success?

• Check out our Patient Convenience Solutions
• Take the next step – Request a Demo