Stepwise strategies to successfully recruit diabetes patients in a large research study in Mexican population.
Describe stepwise strategies (electronic chart review, patient preselection, call-center, personnel dedicated to recruitment) for the successful recruitment of >5000 type 2 diabetes patients in four months.



Twenty-five family medicine clinics from Mexico City and the State of Mexico participated: 13 usual care, 6 specialized diabetes care and 6 chronic disease care. Appointments were scheduled from 11/3/2015 to 3/31/2016. Phone calls were generated automatically from an electronic database. A telephone questionnaire verified inclusion criteria, and scheduled an appointment, with a daily report of appointments, patient attendance, acceptance rate, and questionnaire completeness. Another recruitment log reviewed samples collected. Absolute number (percentage) of patients are reported. Means and standard deviations were estimated for continuous variables, χ2test and independent "t" tests were used. OR and 95% CI were estimated.



14,358 appointments were scheduled, 9146 (63.7%) attended their appointment: 5710 (62.4%) fulfilled inclusion criteria and 5244 agreed to participate (91.8% acceptance). Those accepting participation were more likely women, younger and with longer disease duration (p<0.05). The cost of the call-center service was $3,010,000.00 Mexican pesos (∼$31.70 USD per recruited patient).



Stepwise strategies recruit a high number of patients in a short time. Call centers offer a low cost per patient.
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: wacherniels@gmail.com.
Niels H
NH
Wacher
División de Medicina Familiar, Unidad de Atención Primaria, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mario
M
Reyes-Sánchez
División de Medicina Familiar, Unidad de Atención Primaria, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Héctor Raúl
HR
Vargas-Sánchez
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mireya
M
Gamiochipi-Cano
División de Información Epidemiológica, Coordinación de Vigilancia Epidemiológica, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Ramón Alberto
RA
Rascón-Pacheco
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Rita A
RA
Gómez-Díaz
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología y Servicios de Salud, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Svetlana V
SV
Doubova
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Bioquímica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Adán
A
Valladares-Salgado
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Bioquímica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Martha Catalina
MC
Sánchez-Becerra
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Bioquímica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Araceli
A
Méndez-Padrón
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Leticia A
LA
Valdez-González
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Rafael
R
Mondragón-González
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Bioquímica, UMAE Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Miguel
M
Cruz
Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología y Servicios de Salud, IMSS, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Ana María
AM
Salinas-Martinez
Jefatura de Prestaciones Médicas, Delegación Nuevo León, IMSS, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
María Guadalupe
MG
Garza-Sagástegui
Departamento de Ingeniería en Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Jaime
J
Hernández-Rubí
Departamento de Ingeniería en Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Arturo
A
González-Hermosillo
Jefe de la Unidad de Atención Primaria, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Víctor H
VH
Borja-Aburto
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D000070456:Call Centers; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D000067455:No-Show Patients; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010358:Patient Participation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology; D018401:Sample Size; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D055815:Young Adult
Call center; Cost; Recruitment; Research studies