Exco InTouch, a mobile messaging provider for the pharma industry, says the DIA 44th annual meeting 2008 represented a shift away from traditional patient communication techniques in clinical trials
Direct-to-patient communication using cell phones is now emerging as a viable alternative and can offer significant advantages in the areas of patient recruitment, improving adherence and maximising patient retention.
Exco InTouch profited from the opportunity to meet with colleagues in the drug development industry and discuss the evolution of technology in the pharmaceutical sector when exhibiting at the DIA Annual Meeting in June 2008.
Tim Davis, co-founder of Exco InTouch, comments: "The methods we use to communicate within the clinical trial framework are changing in line with facilitating participation for the patient.
"The use of cell phone technology is now ubiquitous across the globe, and SMS text message communication enables sponsors to fully interact with patients and investigators while maintaining compliance with the strict regulations covering communication within clinical trials.
"The spectrum of attendees at DIA, from pharmaceutical sponsors through clinical trials investigators, provides a cross-section of trends in the industry, with a focus on utilising new technology to improve communication during clinical trials".
Exco InTouch provides cost-effective, simple technology to communicate with and elicit a response from patients.
By utilising simple SMS technology, alerts are delivered promptly to the patient participating in a clinical study via their own mobile phone.
These SMS methods are non-intrusive, offering healthcare providers with a simple cost-effective, personal, direct-to-patient system of communication.
The Exco InTouch portfolio of solutions is designed to improve subject recruitment, retention and compliance during clinical trials and pharmaceutical marketing studies, from delivering reminder services to patients to non-intrusive methods of promoting investigator relationships.
This technology has revolutionised clinical trial communication, using short message service (SMS) to send scheduled, action-driven text messages directly to the mobile phone user, enhancing patient relationship management.
