FindMeCure introduces an innovative methodology to quantify patient burden, as detailed in a recent publication in Frontiers in Digital Health. This approach deciphers patient motivations by converting qualitative experiences into objective data, offering profound implications for clinical trial planning and execution. This pioneering work was led by an expert team including Matthias Klüglich (Therapeutic Area Oncology Medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany), Bert Santy (Clinical Development and Operations, Boehringer Ingelheim, Belgium), and FindMeCure’s own Mihail Tanev, Kristian Hristov, and Tsveta Mincheva from the Medical Advisory Department, bringing together deep insights from oncology and patient-centric trial design.
LONDON— FindMeCure Ltd., a company focused on bringing clinical trials closer to patients, has unveiled a revolutionary new approach to quantifying patient burden, making a significant leap forward in understanding patient motivations at scale. Published in Frontiers in Digital Health, this novel methodology uses advanced analysis of patient stories to uncover the hidden drivers of motivations and quantify them. This is especially impactful in clinical trials, where understanding the “why” behind patient actions can be the key to designing more effective protocols.
Patient motivation is one of clinical trials’ most complex and variable elements. Oftentimes traditional ways of capturing patients’ perspective fail to capture the nuances and hidden motivations behind their experiences
Factors such as disease progression, quality of life expectations, and emotional considerations can significantly impact trial participation and adherence. With this new approach, FindMeCure introduces a scalable way to quantify these “soft” metrics.
Transforming Qualitative Data into Quantifiable Insights
FindMeCure’s approach bridges the gap between patient experiences and actionable data, transforming qualitative narratives into robust insights that drive trial success.
- Collecting Patient Feedback: This study focused on patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, a challenging and aggressive form of brain cancer, based in the USA and Germany, within a standard of care setting. Each participant responded to a 16-question survey, capturing their experiences within the Standard of Care treatment.
- Advanced Psychometric Analysis: By applying cutting-edge psychometric models—Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and Item Response Theory (IRT)—FindMeCure pinpoints unique patient profiles, allowing trial designers to identify factors that influence patient burden and motivation.
- Real-World Validation in Collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim: This methodology was validated in a pilot study on patient analysis with Boehringer Ingelheim. It demonstrated how these insights can be applied effectively to improve trial design and predict patient engagement. The study outcomes show that integrating these insights can lead to more patient-centric trial protocols, enhancing recruitment and retention.
Implications for Clinical Trial Success
Understanding patient motivations is a critical solution for an industry needing patient-centric innovation. Data from FindMeCure’s methodology indicates that:
- Clear Metrics for Patient Motivation: Through quantifying patient motivations, clinical trials can design protocols better aligned with patient needs, potentially increasing enrolment success.
- Enhanced Retention Rates: this framework allows trial logistics to be tailored to patients’ motivation drivers, and has the potential to increase improvement in patient retention, a key metric for trial success.
- Scalable Predictive Capability: Leveraging AI to decode patient experiences enables predictive modeling, allowing sponsors to foresee barriers to enrollment and address these challenges in advance.
FindMeCure is on a mission to bring research closer to patients. Through TrialHub, its smart data platform, they combine medical and AI expertise to reshape how clinical trials are planned and run. For more information on how FindMeCure’s methodology is shaping the future of patient-centric trials, read the full paper in Frontiers in Digital Health or visit www.trialhub.com.
