The holiday season brings joy, travel, and time with family — but for clinical trial teams, it can also mean a dip in patient participation and engagement. Between travel plans, scheduling conflicts, and seasonal distractions, sites often see reduced patient communication and slower enrollment in November and December.
Yet, with the right strategy and the right partner, it’s possible not only to maintain engagement but to strengthen patient relationships during this time.
The holidays can hit pause on participation
Patient engagement is always a balancing act, but during the holidays, several factors make it even harder:
- Schedule conflicts: Patients are busier with family and travel, making it harder to keep appointments.
- Seasonal fatigue: Health priorities sometimes take a back seat to celebrations.
- Communication gaps: Sites may reduce hours or delay follow-up due to staffing changes.
- Weather and logistics: Travel disruptions can make in-person visits difficult.
If not addressed, these factors can lead to missed visits, dropout risk, and delayed enrollment — all of which impact study timelines and data integrity.
How SubjectWell supports holiday engagement and retention
SubjectWell’s suite of patient and site engagement services provides the continuity needed when holiday disruptions threaten momentum.
- Always-on communication and alerts
Automated reminders, text updates, and escalation workflows help keep patients informed—even when site staff are unavailable.
- Remote and digital touchpoints
With patient companion tools, participants can complete assessments, check in virtually, or receive updates while traveling.
- Availability tracking and scheduling intelligence
SubjectWell’s technology can gather patient travel plans and help sites coordinate visit alternatives to prevent missed interactions.
- Escalation and backup workflows
Missed appointments trigger follow-up outreach from SubjectWell’s team or designated site companions, reducing risk of dropout.
- Retention analytics and proactive intervention
Data-driven alerts flag participants showing early signs of disengagement, prompting timely action from coordinators or companions.
- Participant appreciation and connection
Patient companions can send personalized holiday messages or encouragement, maintaining a sense of support and care.
- Site companion coverage and visibility
SubjectWell’s site companion services help ensure no patient communication slips through the cracks during staff absences.
Quality referrals don't take a holiday
While others slow down, we ensure sites receive highly qualified, pre-screened patients ready to take the next step. Our unique Secondary Screening process goes beyond the basics, confirming eligibility details before patients ever reach your site. This additional layer of qualification means fewer screen failures, less site workload, and more patients who are truly ready to enroll.
Final thoughts
Even when the rest of the world is on holiday, SubjectWell ensures that you stay connected, patients stay enrolled, and your trial stays on schedule.
We act as an extension of your site teams, keeping communication lines open and patients engaged, while reducing the burden on coordinators. That means fewer missed appointments, higher patient satisfaction, and smoother operations, during the holidays and all year long.
