Reducing Prescreening Burden Without Compromising Site Control

Why enrollment delays often begin before consent and how administrative support models can help without disrupting site authority

Clinical research sites are facing increasing pressure to enroll eligible participants efficiently while maintaining ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and high quality patient experiences. As study complexity grows and eligibility criteria become more specific, prescreening has emerged as one of the most resource intensive stages of the enrollment process.

Research teams are often required to review large volumes of inquiries, medical histories, and preliminary data to determine whether potential participants may qualify for a study. This work is critical, but it is also time consuming and frequently competes with other clinical and administrative responsibilities. As a result, many sites experience delays, missed opportunities, or staff fatigue during periods of active enrollment.

Prescreening challenges are not typically caused by a lack of clinical expertise. Rather, they arise from operational constraints. Coordinators and investigators must balance patient care, regulatory obligations, sponsor requirements, and internal workflows, often with limited additional support. When prescreening capacity is stretched, the entire enrollment process can slow down.

Why prescreening burden impacts enrollment timelines

When prescreening capacity is limited, delays often occur before a patient ever reaches consent. Potentially eligible participants may not be contacted in a timely manner, preliminary information may remain unreviewed, and coordinators may be forced to prioritize urgent clinical tasks over intake activities. Over time, these delays can compound, reducing enrollment velocity and increasing frustration for both staff and patients.

The importance of preserving site control

For research sites, preserving control over eligibility determination, informed consent, and enrollment decisions is essential. Any prescreening support must operate within clearly defined boundaries, ensuring that clinical judgment and regulatory responsibility remain with the site. Models that respect these boundaries are more likely to integrate successfully within academic, hospital, and health system research environments.

A shift toward administrative prescreening support

To address prescreening burden while preserving site oversight, some research sites are exploring administrative prescreening support models. These approaches focus on structured intake, preliminary eligibility alignment, documentation, and patient expectation setting prior to consent, allowing site teams to remain fully in control of clinical and regulatory decisions.