Clinical Research Automation Case Study

Overview

A healthcare client conducting a blood study needed to recruit participants who were prescribed a specific medication. Their manual recruitment process placed significant strain on their internal team, especially as participant volume increased.

Problem

The client needed a way to:

• Screen and onboard qualified participants automatically

• Collect consent through legally binding documents

• Protect sensitive health data

• Track participation over multiple weeks

• Automate payment based on survey engagement

My Role

As the lead technical consultant, I designed and implemented a fully automated workflow using Alchemer, integrated with third-party platforms to streamline operations and reduce manual overhead.

Solution

1. Sign-Up and Screening
Visitors completed a form on the client’s website that collected initial interest and qualifying medical information.

2. Eligibility and Consent via DocuSign
If eligible, the workflow triggered a contract to be sent through DocuSign. I collaborated with the product team to leverage the DocuSign API to send dynamic consent templates. This allowed immediate delivery of preconfigured contracts tailored to each participant.

3. Privacy and Data Handling
Participants were asked to upload prescription information to confirm eligibility. I designed the workflow to store prescription uploads separately from identifiable information to preserve privacy and ensure secure handling of sensitive data.

4. Ongoing Participation and Data Collection
Qualified participants were entered into a recurring diary survey where they logged bleeding events every two weeks. I used Workflow’s date logic and delay steps to automate the survey schedule and reminders without manual intervention.

5. Reporting and Incentive Automation
I built automated reporting tools to track participant completion and trigger payments based on verified engagement, enabling the finance team to manage incentives without additional tracking systems.

Outcome

• Reduced participant onboarding time by over 75%

• Eliminated manual contract processing and follow-up communication

• Maintained data privacy and regulatory compliance

• Enabled scalable recruitment and participation tracking

• Freed up internal teams to focus on higher-value tasks

Tools and Technologies

• Alchemer Workflow

• DocuSign API

• Secure file upload handling

• Automated reporting and participant flagging

• Custom survey logic with scheduling controls