Our mission to improve everyone’s lives is bold. But to really make a difference, have impact and create change, we have to be.
By guiding organisations in making everything they do in clinical studies more human – more accessible, insightful, empathetic and easier to understand – we put them on the right path to improving people’s lives.
Our existence is born out of a very personal experience. In 2002, one of our founders lost their father to prostate cancer. Had his doctor been sufficiently educated on the signs to look for, he might still be here today. Had their father understood his own symptoms, he might still be here today. Had his father’s healthcare team been aware of potential life-saving clinical trials, he might still be here today.
And so we are motivated by the profound understanding that, collectively, we need to do better.
We start and end with the people who will use the communications we develop. Our purpose is to better educate people about anything that can save or improve lives. So we speak to them directly and plainly. We help them understand and act so that they can live happier and healthier lives.
We specialise in connecting with people; be that patients, study sites, investigators, healthcare professionals or communities… and our results speak for themselves. So if you’re looking for better, let’s talk.
Each person who has joined COUCH Health is driven by a genuine desire to help improve lives. And we each hold ourselves accountable in our mission, because it’s our responsibility to constantly question what we and others deliver.
We ask how can we be better? How can we do more to pioneer the change that’s so desperately needed? By asking these questions we’re able to be more creative and forward-thinking in the solutions we present to you.
Making health human means that everything we do puts people first.
Pharmaceutical, biotech and life science companies turn to us to help them build strong connections with, and improve outcomes for, the people who matter most: patients.
We do this by improving the recruitment and retention of patients to clinical studies with creative solutions that build better experiences and outcomes for clinical study participants.
We specialise in bringing the human touch to healthcare by:
We take the ‘error’ out of human error – so you’re left with smart, insightful, human-focused planning. From patient recruitment and retention strategies to patient engagement campaigns, we’re experts in knowing where and how to engage with real people, on a real level.
Some clinical study patient recruitment and retention planning services we offer:
Good design speaks to the whole body. It’s emotional, impactful and engaging. It can tell a story in a glance, transform complicated information into clear and concise content, and persuade people on an emotional level. With our understanding of design, and the complexities of patient recruitment, we can provide expertise that will increase the awareness of your study.
Some study and site services we offer:
Integral to our mission to improve everyone’s lives, we guide the creation of content that real people can find, understand and use to make informed decisions. That can motivate action, inspire change and give people the confidence that healthcare exists to improve their lives.
Some patient recruitment and site services we offer:
Developing relationships with patient advocacy groups is vital to the success of any clinical study. If your study needs to reach an established patient group, or a minority population, then you’ve got to engage community leaders, patient advocates, and key opinion leaders throughout the development process. By developing these relationships with your target population your study will be welcomed and trusted. And we’re here to help get you there.
Some of the patient advocacy and diversity & inclusion services we offer:
Many of our team are from a behavioural health background which means we like to think we understand people better than most. Add this to our people-focussed approach, and we’re able to create motivational strategies to ensure participants remain in your study.
This can involve:
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This online event is being held by Innovative Trials, COUCH Health, and Egality Health. Three organisations who are working to improve diversity in clinical trials.
With the appointment of Rosemary Lakeru as Director of Patient Recruitment, Feasibility and Diversity, COUCH Health becomes one of the first patient engagement companies to create a senior role with a specific focus on improving diversity in clinical trials.
We can guide you strategically and creatively to develop clinical study websites that engage, inform and enhance experiences for patients and HCPS, and in turn improve enrolment for your clinical study through increased referrals.
Our targeted outreach delivers highly qualified patients with a higher chance of converting to randomised study participants
As inclusion and diversity advocates, we design and implement recruitment strategies that break down participant barriers.
We get you important patient insights through expertly crafted patient studies and surveys, and guide you in taking action
We recently had the pleasure of sponsoring and attending the Outsourcing in Clinical Trials (OCT) virtual conference. Although we would have loved to have met everyone in person, it was great to listen to those who share our passions and values and chat with everyone throughout the day. Read on for a low down of the talks that resonated with the team at COUCH Health the most.
As advocates of diverse and inclusive clinical trials, patient engagement agency COUCH Health is calling on the industry take action to make clinical research more inclusive and representative of all populations. Demand Diversity has launched with the aim to raise awareness of the lack of diversity in clinical research, and make change happen.
Like many of us these days, I’d describe my life as loud, hectic and a bit of a blur. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun, but fast paced. I don’t often have time to really relax or just do nothing - to not be distracted by the TV or my phone. So when I do, I should be treasuring those moments of peace and quiet. But I don’t. In fact, I actively avoid them. Not because I don’t long to unwind and enjoy the peace of mind silence can bring. But because my “silence” is filled with a loud, irritating ringing thanks to my trusty tinnitus which has been with me for the last 15 years.
Just as important as improving others’ lives, is improving our own. With the support of all involved in #1mLives there’s never been a better time to do something good for you.
Today, we’re celebrating! Six months on, we can proudly say that we’ve improved the lives of 15,784 people. Here’s a quick tour of what we’ve been up to so far…
Can you spare a couple of minutes to complete our working from home survey?
Everyone’s experience of COVID-19 is going to be different, everyone’s personal insight can help improve understanding, and everyone deserves to have their voice heard. At COUCH Health, we want to help give people a voice and improve understanding of the impact COVID-19 is having on our industry, first-hand.
Manchester-based patient engagement agency, COUCH Health, in partnership with The Bank of Creativity, has created a new campaign for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. While many have heard of the condition, awareness of its symptoms and what it means for those living with it, is low. The aim of the new campaign is to raise awareness and uncover the truths about MS.
Patient engagement: Actions speak louder than words
Patient engagement agency, COUCH Health, is building on a year of incredible growth in 2019 in which the company hired six new members of the team across account management and creative disciplines.
COUCH Health, the patient engagement agency, launches their new campaign #1mLives in a bid to put the company’s ethos into practice and stay true to their reason for existing.
In November 2020, PhRMA announced the first-ever, industry-wide principles on clinical trial diversity. The principles were approved by the PhRMA Boards of Directors and will take effect in April 2021.
In November 2020, the FDA released guidance to enable greater diversity in clinical trials through changes to eligibility criteria, enrolment practices, and trial designs.
When recruiting patients for your clinical trial, you want the materials and information around it to be seen as reputable and professional. To make it clear what the clinical trial is about and to ensure consent is informed. And be something that people are going to remember. And with some trials lasting years, building awareness and familiarity is key to improve engagement. That’s where your clinical trial branding comes in…
In our latest round-up of news surrounding diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, we take a closer look into the benefits that diversity can bring to society, learnings that we can take from the COVID-19 pandemic to shift our thinking around diversity and clinical trials, how we can address long-standing barriers to build trust in healthcare, and much more.
With the advances that have been made in clinical research, it’s almost hard to believe that the same challenges still exist within patient recruitment. Unfortunately, traditional clinical research models pose challenges at many levels and ultimately hinder the efficient running of clinical trials.
Behind every patient there is a story, an experience that’s shaped them, or a list of requirements that they’re looking for when it comes to their own healthcare. And it’s our responsibility to hear the patient voice and ensure we take the relevant actions.
As caregivers are the people who look after patients in need of assistance, in many situations, they can be a key influencer in a patient’s decision making process. For this reason, it’s vital that caregivers are sufficiently educated to help support the people they’re caring for, which includes having the most up to date, correct and important clinical trial information.
Picture this: you’ve created your patient recruitment strategy and you find more and more patients are undertaking the pre-screening, you probably think – success! But then you find out, getting too many patients to sign up could actually hinder the process.
Traditional clinical trial designs simply can’t withstand the impact of COVID-19. While before the pandemic, some in clinical research were beginning to adopt virtual components, the move towards designing hybrid decentralised trials was slow. But when it became clear that existing and upcoming clinical trials wouldn’t be able to run as planned, biotech and pharma companies have been scrambling to work out how they can take their trial out of the clinic and into a virtual setting.
The pharmaceutical industry is already using social media and search engine advertising for clinical trials, so why not consider podcast platforms too?
To execute a considered community engagement strategy, an involved and collaborative process is needed.
Some patients will still want to read pages of informed consent forms before joining a clinical trial, or want timely updates on paper rather than a notification on their phone. Whereas some would prefer to see a virtual reminder, watch videos, and take online questionnaires. The point is: there needs to be options. And that’s where eLearning comes in.
We all talk a lot about patient engagement and patient experience. And sometimes, these terms are used interchangeably across the industry. But while they’re both important, they’re not the same. So, let’s quickly clear up once and for all what the difference between patient engagement and patient experience is, so we can make sure that we’re doing the best possible job in both areas…
We’re all well aware that healthcare organisations are generally perceived to be untrustworthy. According to Edelman’s 2018 Trust Barometer, we even saw a clear global decline of public trust in pharma, biotech, hospitals, insurance and consumer health companies.
First up, the hard truth is that clinical trial populations are not diverse. People of certain ethnicities, females and the elderly are typically underrepresented in clinical research. And you might ask, “why?”
We all know how much the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone around the world. And within the healthcare industry, priorities have been re-evaluated and processes changed, to ensure that patients keep receiving care.
Our latest round-up takes a closer look at the different conditions where health disparities are present, such as more women living with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the cancer death rate being highest among Black people vs all other ethnic groups. Plus, there are a couple of articles with important insights about inequalities in LGBTQ+ communities, too.
With so many clinical trials underway to find an effective vaccine for COVID-19, the competition is rising. More and more organisations will be looking to recruit healthy volunteers, while ensuring inclusion and diversity in clinical trials, to complete their mission of finding a vaccine and making it available to the public as quickly as possible.
September 29th is World Heart Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases and how everyone can take steps to prevent them. It’s common knowledge that smoking and an unhealthy diet can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, but did you know that ethnicity can also play a role?
Retention rates are falling in clinical trials. Yes, it is a bit disheartening. But there are some straightforward things you can do to turn it around.
First up, the good news. Over the past seven years, clinical trial recruitment rates have been on the rise.
Could patient journey mapping be your solution to improving clinical study recruitment and retention? While awareness of clinical studies is low across the population, it’s not the only issue. It’s time to look at the finer details and start improving every stage of the patient journey.
You might have noticed that all of us here at COUCH Health are big advocates for taking action to improve diversity and inclusion in the world of clinical research. ‘Taking action’ rather than simply talking about what we should be doing is really important to us. Which is why we put together information that can be used to make change, not just discuss it.
Although the statistics have to change, we’re really pleased that conversations are still happening about the lack of diversity in clinical trials. More reports are coming to light about the lack of ethnicity reporting, and the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities. We hope this evidence and increased awareness will help bring changes not just for individual clinical trials, but across the whole industry.
In a world where pretty much everything and everyone has an online presence, it’s almost unbelievable that not all clinical studies do.
Joining a clinical study is a significant decision for anyone. Before a participant signs up for a clinical study, there are many factors that can influence how likely a patient is to take part. We have previously discussed the importance of patient engagement and the need for patient centricity as early as study planning stages.
Patient recruitment is, and always will be, a pain point for clinical research companies. It’s potentially the most challenging stage of any clinical study, as unsuccessful recruitment means big delays or failure. But you already know this. It’s why you’re here reading about what factors can impact patient recruitment.
Many factors can impact a patient’s decision to take part in a clinical study. But what steps can the industry take to try to improve patient recruitment? Sometimes, we need to go back to the basics and look to the very beginning of the clinical study process.
A patient portal is a secure, online platform that gives you and your patients 24-hour access to health information, such as your patient’s current medications, lab results, discharge summaries, and much more. It’s a communication tool, a medication reminder, an appointment booking system, an educational material, and sometimes even a payment tool… all in one place.
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, our emotions play a huge role in day-to-day decision making. Psychological scientists have long explored emotional influences on decision making. Experts like Herbert Simon, a American Nobel Laureate scientist, speak extensively about how emotions can influence, skew and determine the outcome of so many decisions we’re confronted with every day.
While the research space is a heavily regulated environment and there are rules that we must abide by, this doesn’t mean clinical study materials have to be ‘boring’ or the overall study design must be company driven. There’s still opportunity to get creative and get and even better, get patients involved with design. And there’s big benefits of doing this, too!
It’s highly likely that clinical studies are deterring patients based on decisions made in the early stages, such as during planning and design.
This blog looks into the importance of concepts and patient centricity in patient recruitment.
COVID-19 has continued to bring diversity and health inequality to the forefront of people’s attention. Our latest round-up covers the July news around these issues, and brings you the latest initiatives that are trying to create positive change.
In July 2020, we attended and exhibited at the Medical Device Clinical Trials 2020 Virtual Experience. We really enjoyed the day and it was great to hear from like-minded people, while catching up on the latest in the industry. Here, we’ve highlighted some of the discussions that really stood out or resonated with us at COUCH Health, which you might find interesting too. Enjoy!
Have you ever read something that instantly made you want to read on? Or have you begun to read something, and eventually given up because it didn’t resonate with you? This is where the importance of copy and headings in advertising comes into play.
At COUCH Health, we recently conducted a research project in collaboration with Lancaster University, exploring the impact of five key variables (copy, concept, colour psychology, headings and patient centricity) on the effectiveness of clinical study recruitment materials. Results to be released shortly. However, as a teaser we thought we’d create a mini blog-series – not only to showcase the results we found, but to emphasise why these variables are so important to consider when developing recruitment materials.
It’s becoming more and more important to find new ways to increase recruitment and retention in clinical studies, and ultimately improve the patient experience. With the average cost to recruit and retain one patient being around $7,600 and the loss in revenue (due to delays) being an estimated $40m per month, it’s no surprise that pharma and biotech companies want to be more patient-centric and improve the clinical study experience.
With so many patients ready to engage and speak out on social media, a setting that’s comfortable and convenient, it can be game-changing for patient recruitment and retention strategies for those who are prepared to listen.
With the clinical study landscape more competitive than ever, advertising and marketing have never been more important. They can mean the difference between successful patient recruitment and study failure. In this article, we focus on the part video can play in enhancing clinical trial patient recruitment and retention efforts.
We’re all aware that clinical trials have been discussed more widely since the COVID-19 pandemic. While that’s a great thing for raising awareness of clinical trials in general, it’s also highlighted some pretty big issues in clinical research. For example, the world can see how the BAME community has been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, which has also underlined how unrepresentative clinical trials are of them. And over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at other populations who are also being left behind.
From how to generate insights to define your audience to drilling down those all-important key messages, our checklist has everything you need to think of, covered.
Traditional clinical trial designs simply can’t withstand the impact of COVID-19. While before the pandemic, some in clinical research were beginning to adopt virtual components, the move towards designing hybrid decentralised trials was slow. But when it became clear that existing and upcoming clinical trials wouldn’t be able to run as planned, biotech and pharma companies have been scrambling to work out how they can take their trial out of the clinic and into a virtual setting.
With 8/10 prospective patients beginning their journey to care online, 43% of patients searching the internet to for clinical study information, and 70,000 health related Google searches made each day, information on your clinical study needs to be online and easy to access.
From content strategy to copy, design to imagery, our checklist guides you through key considerations to create powerful patient engagement strategies and materials.
In this blog post we discuss how you can understand cultural barriers to clinical trial participation.
Diversity in clinical trials: The powerful need to improve it! “One size fits all” is rapidly becoming an outdated concept in modern-day life, and medical research is no exception. Without diversity in clinical trials, any major discoveries are only valid for the sample of the population used.
Here’s a infographic of why clinical study websites are important to patient recruitment and retention strategies…
This report reveals insights from the people themselves, and discusses the starting points for overcoming current challenges.
For effective clinical trial recruitment strategies, understanding the challenges related to recruitment and retention of clinical trial participants is one thing, but it’s important to find innovative solutions to the problem.
The truth is, the better you understand research study participants and the better you get to know them, the better chance you have of recruiting and retaining the right people for your clinical trial. But it’s not all about you… Going beyond to understand patients means you can create a more personalised and meaningful experience for them, too.
Creating clinical trial advertising to recruit participants is an expensive process. But it’s also vital to keeping your studies filled so you can pursue important clinical research. And so, to ensure this cycle continues, you need to be able to prove that you’re getting the most out of your advertising spend, ready for when you need it next time.
Patient engagement is widely discussed in the clinical research landscape, but how much of what’s being said is just lip service?
It’s one thing to get people into your clinical trials but keeping them there is not only more of a challenge, it’s also vital to the success of the trial and your return on investment. It’s an old maxim in business that it costs five times more to get a new client than to retain a current one, so it’s surprising that in spite of this fact, statistics show only 18% of sponsors actually try to develop retention strategies.
Are the right people designing your clinical trial?
Clinical trials are a reliable method of testing new treatments before making them available to the general public. To generate the data needed to determine whether the drugs are safe and effective, it’s necessary to conduct double-blind studies with one or more groups of participants. Clinical recruitment strategies are challenging, however, taking the right approach can equip you for success.
Plan ahead to support every step of clinical trial journey.
Design in advertising is about more than simply the logos, images, page layouts and fonts that comprise a brand’s aesthetic; it is the main artery connecting your company to your brand and ultimately to your customer. In the world of clinical trials, the level of care with which a trial is developed should be reflected in the clinical trial marketing advertising and recruitment process.
The short answer, perhaps obviously, is yes.
There are too many conditions and diseases that have treatments and medicines developed without true testing on the minority populations they affect most. So for too many people, they simply don’t work. If we’re going to stand by the mantra that “we’re all in this together” shouldn’t we be putting it into action in every way we can?
Patient recruitment for a clinical trials is a challenging process filled with the potential to alienate participants. By taking a psychological approach you may get better results.
Why a strong informed consent strategy can increase clinical trial success
Discover the reasons for the current clinical trial recruitment challenges facing pharma and the life sciences industry, and how the search for solutions to the problem continues
There is no shortage of information developed in healthcare communications that’s intended to help health seekers understand their treatment and medication options. Unfortunately, health literacy statistics among patient groups strongly indicate these materials often miss the mark.
The global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and current misinformation infiltrating our consciousness on social media has been a challenge to get our heads around, but it’s undeniable that there’s a public health risk currently proposed by the pandemic. With Italy in lockdown and other countries possibly following suit, will this outbreak impact ongoing clinical studies and those currently enrolling patients?
How to ensure your patient recruitment strategy & materials don't discriminate.
Learn why advertising is more important than ever in clinical studies
This blog highlights the value of human perspectives, showing how insights can propel healthcare communications forward to ultimately improve lives
In this blog, we discuss the meaning of gratitude, while asking what does it mean to say thank you to your clinical trial participants?
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