Patient recruitment workflow with and without a patient recruitment system

In clinical trials (CTs), the process of patient recruitment (PR) is one of the main risk factors, as almost half of all trial delays are caused by problems in PR. To our knowledge, no publication in this field describes the process of PR. Therefore, weak spots and potential benefits cannot be identified. By interviewing six domain experts and modeling the workflow in a standardized way, we describe the actors, tasks and tools within PR. We compare the current workflow with Patient Recruitment System (PRS)-supported PR. The identification of eligible participants is the most complex part, but adding a PRS simplifies it by automating repetitive tasks and taking work off the Investigators' hands. This work contributes to a common understanding of the PR process.