Often, the patient experience comes down to whom they interact with at the clinic. Patients need a care team who understands their community. Through a culturally sensitive patient experience, researchers can improve clinical trial enrollment and retention. That’s why we employ a diverse staff and provide culturally sensitive care to all patients.
Check out our interview with Clinic Manager Nabil Aslani to see culturally sensitive care at work.
How did your cultural background impact your relationship with accessible care?
When I moved from Iran to Louisiana, my mother was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder. I quickly realized that access to quality healthcare was limited. In order to get better access to the healthcare she needed, we were forced to relocate to another state.
This experience helped shape my belief that quality healthcare should be available to all individuals no matter who or where they are. I value my career at 20/20 Onsite because it enables me to take part in delivering care to communities where access to healthcare is difficult.
Learn more about how Mobile Care Can Drive Diversity in Clinical Trials.
What are your roles and responsibilities as Clinic Manager at 20/20 Onsite?
I am the primary contact for patients from the beginning to the end of their experience on the Mobile Vision Clinic. As a Clinic Manager, I am not only equipped with the training and certifications necessary to provide clinical access, but I also provide a clean, safe, and stress-free environment to all of our patients.
Stress is a common cause of patient dropout, so my goal is to reduce the patient’s emotional burden of participating in a clinical trial. One way I do that is by ensuring the patient has a good experience. Another common cause of patient dropout is barriers to travel, so I drive from coast to coast in our state-of-the-art Mobile Vision Clinic. This enables us to reach communities who may not be able to visit a site on their own.
Nabil showing his support for Clinical Trials Day in May 2022.
Where have you traveled to recently and for what type of work?
Travel is extremely stressful and burdensome for patients, particularly those underserved communities that are most often left out of clinical trials. In fact, patients travel an average of 41 miles to get to clinical trial sites.
To see more data, check out: How Sponsors Can Reduce Travel Barriers to Improve Patient Recruitment and Retention
On my most recent trip, I traveled to Los Angeles, CA. I drove about 700 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah to provide care to a patient in need. This individual has been waiting a long time to learn whether they qualify for life-saving treatment. Through this trip, we were able to provide this patient with the answers they’ve been waiting for.
What makes the patient’s experience on our Mobile Vision Clinics so special?
We prioritize the patient experience every step of the way. We not only eliminate the burden of travel but also the stress of potential exposure to illness. Our Mobile Vision Clinics are equipped with a hospital-grade air filtration system that filters 99.99% of unwanted air particles at a cycle of every 3 minutes.
In addition to creating a stress-free experience, we also personalize the clinics for each patient based on their specific needs. The patient never has to worry about where they’re going, how to get to their appointment, or whether we’ll have the necessary equipment to provide the best care possible.
Why is a positive patient experience so important to prioritize in clinical research?
Adding stress to a patient’s daily routine can negatively impact the accuracy of their exam results. Put simply, a great patient experience is essential to their overall health because providers get a clearer picture of the patient’s needs. In turn, patients receive higher-quality treatment and improve their health outcomes.
How can biopharma leaders achieve their clinical trial goals with help from 20/20 Onsite?
We all share the same goal: to run a successful clinical trial that is accessible to all qualifying patients. However, no one in the entire country can travel to patients with customizable clinics like 20/20 Onsite. Our technology, knowledge base, certifications, and staff are one of a kind. We have all the tools necessary, plus an extraordinary staff as an added bonus.
Do you have any patient experiences/stories you can share with us that have stuck in your mind that prove the value of our care?
I recently traveled to see an 8-year-old child. If we had not been scheduled to see him, his parents would have needed to travel over 150 miles to receive this service at another location. The medication that he is currently trialing is a life-saving medication. Without 20/20 Onsite, he most likely would not have been able to enter this clinical trial.
The work we do is incredibly important, especially when there is a chance to provide access to potentially life-saving treatments or improve the quality of a patient’s life. This job and experience have been humbling, and I am excited to see how many more lives we can positively impact—just by driving to the patient.
Want to learn more about the talented staff at 20/20 Onsite? Check out our Q&A with Clinical Trial Manager Pamela Tomic: Challenges and Opportunities in Clinical Trial Research.
By partnering with 20/20 Onsite, sponsors and CROs can reduce the patient burden and increase diversity. The result is a great patient experience and improved trial outcomes. Curious how 20/20 Onsite can connect your clinical trial with a diverse pool of patients? Contact us.