Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice

Volume 28, Issue 1 pp. 79-85

ORIGINAL PAPER

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Factors that influence community hospital involvement in clinical trials: A qualitative descriptive study

Mei Wang Ms. Ph.D. candidate, BHSc, MSc,

Corresponding Author

Mei Wang Ms. Ph.D. candidate, BHSc, MSc

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0001-5974-1450

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence

Mei Wang, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.

Email: [email protected]

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Lisa Dolovich BScPhm, PharmD, MSc,

Lisa Dolovich BScPhm, PharmD, MSc

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

The School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Anne Holbrook Ph.D.,

Anne Holbrook Ph.D.

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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Susan M. Jack Ph.D.,

Susan M. Jack Ph.D.

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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Mei Wang Ms. Ph.D. candidate, BHSc, MSc,

Corresponding Author

Mei Wang Ms. Ph.D. candidate, BHSc, MSc

[email protected]

orcid.org/0000-0001-5974-1450

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence

Mei Wang, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.

Email: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author

Lisa Dolovich BScPhm, PharmD, MSc,

Lisa Dolovich BScPhm, PharmD, MSc

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

The School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

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Anne Holbrook Ph.D.,

Anne Holbrook Ph.D.

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Search for more papers by this author

Susan M. Jack Ph.D.,

Susan M. Jack Ph.D.

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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First published: 19 May 2021

https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13583

Citations: 3

Funding information: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Grant/Award Number: 365834; St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Grant/Award Number: Student Award

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Abstract

Rationale, aims and objectives

The successful conduct of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is often impeded by recruitment difficulties. Community hospitals see large volumes of patients but rarely participate in trials. The objective of this study was to explore how research stakeholders identify and understand the contextual, organizational, research, and individual-level factors that influence the engagement of community hospitals in Ontario to participate in RCTs as partner sites.

Methods

In this descriptive, qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 18 individuals who are familiar with the processes associated with engaging community hospitals for research or recruiting participants from these sites into trials. Demographic data were summarized using descriptive statistics. The principles of conventional content analysis were used to code, categorize and synthesize the interview data.

Results

Informed by participants' descriptions, the results were organized within three unique stages that describe the process of recruitment within community hospitals: (a) community hospital engagement; (b) initiation of the project in the community hospitals; and (c) recruiting patients. The key barriers were the invisibility of the community hospitals to research investigators and the lack of research infrastructure in most of the community hospitals. Increased communication and sharing of resources between academic centers and community hospitals facilitated recruitment across all three stages.

Conclusion

Our results illustrated a willingness of community hospitals to participate in RCTs, but a lack of capacity for research. Additional efforts by trial coordinating sites are required to recruit community hospitals, but their inclusion improves the generalizability of trial results.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare there is no conflict of interest.

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data available on request due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

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Volume28, Issue1

February 2022

Pages 79-85

Factors that influence community hospital involvement in clinical trials: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Rationale, aims and objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

Information

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Factors that influence community hospital involvement in clinical trials: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Rationale, aims and objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

Related

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