IMPROVING PHYSICIAN ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN CLINICAL TRIAL RESEARCH MEETINGS: A ROLE FOR A PHYSICIAN STAFF ENGAGEMENT, A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Abstract

Purpose:

The literature has identified multiple barriers to participation in clinical trials such as a lack of time, lack of resources, communication difficulties, conflicts between the role of clinician and scientist, inadequate research experience and training for physicians, lack of rewards and recognition for physicians. Engagement in clinical trials and attendance at Clinical Trial Activation Group (CTAG) meetings at our regional cancer centre was poor. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a quality improvement project utilizing quarterly in-person, lunch meetings to improve physician attendance and engagement at CTAG meetings.

Materials and Methods:

Funding was obtained through a provincial physician engagement initiative aimed to strengthen the relationships between physicians and health authority leaders. The clinical trials unit identified a fixed date, time and venue for a lunch meeting every 3 months for a 9-month period (3 meetings total). Meetings were structured to update medical staff on new and ongoing clinical trials and research, to promote open dialogue between medical staff and the trials unit and allow interinstitutional collaborative presentations on shared priorities to improve patient care in an effective collaborative way. Success of the intervention was defined as a 100% increase in average physician attendance at the end of the intervention compared to the 6 months prior at monthly morning meetings. The intervention started in the spring of 2024.

Results:

The average physician attendance prior to the intervention was 6. Following the intervention, average attendance rose to 23, far exceeding the 100% increase threshold for intervention success. The maximum number of physicians attending a meeting was 32. At the same time the number of patients enrolled in clinical trials increased in the last 6 months of 2024 with clinical trials benchmarks met for the first time.

Conclusions:

The intervention of moving the meeting to a more favourable, fixed time and providing lunch resulted in an almost 4-fold increase in physician attendance and an increase in accrual to clinical trials. This simple cost-effective intervention improved physician engagement with clinical trials unit and health organizations and resulted in high quality health care and improved patient recruitment to clinical trials. Further evaluation with provider feedback would be a next step. This engagement approach may be adopted as a method for increasing engagement for other regular physician meetings.