Comparing research recruitment strategies to prospectively identify patients presenting with breathlessness in primary care

Gillian Doe; Simon Wathall; Jill Clanchy; Sarah Edwards; Helen Evans; Michael C Steiner; Rachael A Evans

doi:10.1038/s41533-022-00308-5

Comparing research recruitment strategies to prospectively identify patients presenting with breathlessness in primary care

NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2022 Nov 9;32(1):49. doi: 10.1038/s41533-022-00308-5.

Authors

Gillian Doe¹, Simon Wathall², Jill Clanchy³, Sarah Edwards⁴, Helen Evans⁴, Michael C Steiner^{1

4}, Rachael A Evans^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Respiratory Science, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
² Clinical Trials Unit, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK.
³ Clinical Trials Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
⁴ NIHR Biomedical Research Centre-Respiratory theme, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
⁵ Department of Respiratory Science, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. re66@leicester.ac.uk.
⁶ NIHR Biomedical Research Centre-Respiratory theme, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK. re66@leicester.ac.uk.

Abstract

Two recruitment strategies for research were compared to prospectively identify patients with breathlessness who are awaiting a diagnosis in primary care. The first method utilised searches of the electronic patient record (EPR), the second method involved an electronic template triggered during a consultation. Using an electronic template triggered at the point of consultation increased recruitment to prospective research approximately nine-fold compared with searching for symptom codes and study mailouts.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Dyspnea* / diagnosis
Dyspnea* / etiology
Electronic Health Records
Humans
Primary Health Care
Prospective Studies
Referral and Consultation*

Grant support

CS-2016-16-020/DH_/Department of Health/United Kingdom