Comparing research recruitment strategies to prospectively identify patients presenting with breathlessness in primary care

Abstract

Abstract Two recruitment strategies for research were compared to prospectively identify patients with breathlessness who are awaiting a diagnosis in primary care. The first method utilised searches of the electronic patient record (EPR), the second method involved an electronic template triggered during a consultation. Using an electronic template triggered at the point of consultation increased recruitment to prospective research approximately nine-fold compared with searching for symptom codes and study mailouts.