Since 2021, Path Fertility has been pushing boundaries in male fertility research under CSO and Co-Founder Kristin Brogaard, PhD. Through SpermQT™, a revolutionary sperm quality test, and the SPOT Study (SpermQT Prospective Observational Trial), Path Fertility aims to provide breakthrough insights into male infertility. However, despite the promising potential, the SPOT Study’s recruitment process faced significant challenges—until the introduction of EngagedMD.
“We knew we had to do something different to meet our enrollment goals. The manual process wasn’t sustainable and just wasn’t producing the numbers we needed,” explains Lorry Schneider, Path Fertility’s COO, reflecting on their decision to incorporate EngagedMD into the study. Working in the fertility space for years, Lorry understood the importance of streamlining operations, and after partnering with EngagedMD, the benefits were clear.
A manual process falling short
Before partnering with EngagedMD, the recruitment process for the SPOT Study was painstakingly manual. The Path Fertility team relied on clinic staff to identify potential participants, contact them via phone or email, and continue to manually follow up to get study consent forms signed. Some clinics relied on physicians to flag eligible candidates—a task that could easily slip through the cracks amid their busy schedules. With enrollment lagging behind, Path Fertility needed a more efficient approach.
“We were trying to engage with patients at the wrong time and in the wrong environment. Even when we did, it was labor-intensive and not producing the numbers we hoped for,” Lorry notes.
Despite efforts, after nearly 10 months, only 112 participants had enrolled. It became apparent that the traditional recruitment method wasn’t enough to meet their ambitious study goals.
Enter EngagedMD: efficiency meets engagement
Everything changed when Path Fertility integrated EngagedMD’s platform into their recruitment process. EngagedMD’s ability to deliver information about the study at the right time in the patient journey made all the difference.
By pairing a custom module educating patients about the SPOT Study with a form to capture participant interest and subsequently obtain consent, Path Fertility solved the issue of manual follow-ups and disjointed communication and saw an uptick in recruitment. The process was no longer reliant on physicians or nurses manually notifying staff about potential candidates. Instead, a centralized approach allowed clinics to streamline assignments of the module and interest form while reaching a wider pool of patients, significantly reducing administrative burden.
“EngagedMD removed the need for doctors to identify patients and allowed us to reach everyone who was eligible. With the new process, we had one person at the clinic assigning the module to every patient, which was a game-changer,” Kristin explains.
EngagedMD’s familiar platform also proved advantageous, as the clinics recruiting for the SPOT Study were already using it and were comfortable with its features, making the integration process even smoother.
The quality of the educational module played a critical role in recruitment success. The module detailed what the SpermQT test was and what enrollment in the SPOT Study meant for participants. Instead of sending vague email invitations, Path Fertility delivered detailed, relevant information through EngagedMD that patients could access on their own time, streamlining the education and consent process.
The results speak for themselves: in just 5.5 months after EngagedMD’s implementation, 258 participants had enrolled—more than doubling the recruitment numbers in just half the time. Overall, the SPOT Study saw a 230% increase in consents signed in only 55% of the time.
Expanding the study’s reach
The improved recruitment rates not only accelerated the timeline but also allowed Path Fertility to expand the SPOT Study to new locations. Originally launched at a leading fertility practice, the success of EngagedMD opened the door for its adoption at 10 more fertility clinic locations.
By widening their recruitment pool and reducing the time required to engage with potential participants, Path Fertility was able to boost internal efficiencies and bring the study closer to reaching its goal of 500 participants. Though the initial deadline to reach that goal was missed, Kristin remains confident: “Had we started using EngagedMD earlier, we wouldn’t have any concerns reaching that number.” Now with EngagedMD in place and running smoothly, there are no doubts that they will hit their goal soon.
Driving innovation through true partnership
Innovation in clinical research is demonstrated by the partnership between Path Fertility and EngagedMD. By streamlining patient education and automating recruitment processes, Path Fertility not only enhanced patient engagement but also positioned itself to make significant strides in the field of male infertility.
Lorry emphasizes the long-term potential: “EngagedMD has been integral in making our recruitment process more efficient, and we believe it will continue to be an essential tool.”
Additionally, Kristin highlights the collaboration with EngagedMD throughout the project. “EngagedMD didn’t just provide a platform—they became true partners. Their responsiveness and willingness to troubleshoot any issues made this an incredibly smooth experience,” she adds.
As Path Fertility looks to the future, the efficiency and scalability brought by EngagedMD will continue to play a pivotal role in their innovative work, whether in clinical trials or commercial product offerings.