Conducting clinical trials in a constantly changing health care environment.
Continuous change and cost containment characterize the current health care system, making conduct of clinical trials and other clinical research difficult. Identification, accrual, and follow-up of patients who move between health care environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools and the home is particularly challenging. This article describes a circuit rider approach to patient identification and follow-up that was established by the Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Trials Research Group. It also gives suggestions for design of clinical trials in a constantly changing environment.
Logemann
J A
JA
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Baum
H M
HM
Robbins
J
J
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications; D001298:Audiology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications; D018579:Patient Selection; D012108:Research Personnel; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States