Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patient Recruitment
The Challenge
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a rare condition that affects approximately 200,000 people in the United States. HS is a chronic skin condition that causes small, pea-sized bumps to develop, typically around the groin, armpits, bottom, and breasts. The bumps are painful and occasionally lead to infection; and, if infected, the bumps may ooze pus and lead to more infections. HS is often misdiagnosed as acne or ingrown hairs. Currently, there is no diagnostic test for HS. Instead, physicians diagnose HS through the process of elimination by running tests for infectious conditions. If the tests are negative for the infectious diseases, then it is likely HS. The exact cause of HS is unknown, and it is not infectious nor linked to poor hygiene, but about one third of patients report a family history of the condition. There is no known cure for HS, but there are many treatment methods. However, even with a variety of therapies, many patients often need to try multiple treatment options before finding a plan that works for them. That’s why physicians are exploring new, potentially better treatments for HS, and we enthusiastically supported a single research site in recruiting and retaining HS patients for a study researching the safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment injected under the skin. We met our client’s goal number of referrals by running highly targeted campaigns and adjusting our strategy when needed.
Additional Challenges
COVID-19 (site shutdowns, public’s fear of leaving home)
High screen-fail rate
New restrictions and regulations within digital advertising
Smaller patient population
Study Stats
1 Research Site
15 referrals: site enrollment goal
15 pre-qualified referrals from Clinically Media
Clinically Media's Solution
SOCIAL MEDIA
Trackable digital campaign with an emphasis on highly targeted social media advertising delivered pre-qualified referrals
REFERRAL MANAGEMENT
HIPAA compliant proprietary software allowed secure access to referrals’ contact information for site staff
REFERRAL TRACKING
Internal tracking for each qualified referral supported study’s enrollment objectives
SITE MANAGEMENT
Consistent, close communication and follow up with research site allowed us to provide an individualized recruitment strategy
Meticulous Approach
The first step of every new project involves extensive research on the indication. Thus, the Clinically Media team began by researching HS and the patient. This information served as a foundation for the messaging, images, and outreach strategy. Moreover, we promote diversity and inclusion in all we do, and that includes our advertising materials and strategy. We ensured diverse representation in messaging and audience targeting. Through close monitoring of the advertisement’s performance and adjusting strategies as needed, we sent 15 pre-qualified referrals to the research site, meeting our client’s goals.
Weekly updates to advertising images and captions to avoid saturating audiences
Retargeting audiences through website traffic and analytics
Adjusting strategies to connect with support groups on social media
Building audience segmentation based on study’s inclusion criteria and site location
Inclusive and diverse patient representation in advertising materials and audience creation
“Communication was excellent! Worked well with changing a few things to bring in more referrals.”