ASK vs media recruitment
Media recruiters run ads, pre-screen the people who respond and pass referrals to your site. ASK runs the ads too, but doesn’t stop at the referral: every lead is followed up automatically and their medical records are requested before screening.
A referral is not an enrollment
- With a typical media recruiter, your site still has to reach each referral, confirm interest, chase records and book the visit.
- With ASK, follow-up, records authorization and provider requests happen automatically, so patients reach your team further along.
- ASK’s numbers: $9 per lead and $1,250 per enrollment. [2]
What the research says
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of online recruitment in clinical trials found online strategies cheaper per enrollee than offline ones, with a median of $72 versus $199. But people screened online were less likely to go on to enroll (risk ratio 0.8). [1]
In other words, online ads bring people in cheaply, and the cost moves to what happens next. That is the part ASK automates.
ASK and media recruitment, side by side
| Step | ASK | Typical media recruiter |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Protocol-specific Google, Facebook and Instagram campaigns | Digital and traditional campaigns |
| Pre-screening | AI checks answers against inclusion and exclusion criteria | Online questionnaire, often with a call center |
| Hand-off | Leads stay in one system you can see, live | Referrals passed to the site, often by email or a portal |
| Follow-up after the referral | Automatic SMS and email until the patient responds | Usually the site’s job |
| Medical records | Authorization signed online; requests to each provider tracked and AI-reviewed | Usually the site’s job |
| Reporting | Cost per lead and per enrollment, by study and site | Varies by vendor |
“Typical” describes the common media recruitment model, not any one vendor. Individual vendors may offer more.
Test us side by side
- Same study, same period.
- Count referrals your team actually reached.
- Count patients who arrived with records.
- Compare cost per enrollment, including your staff time.
How we compared
The research figures come from the published review listed below. ASK’s figures come from recruitment campaigns ASK has run; results vary by protocol, indication and location. Spot an error? Email hello@shishirk.com and we’ll fix it.
Sources
- Brøgger-Mikkelsen M, Ali Z, Zibert JR, Andersen AD, Thomsen SF. “Online Patient Recruitment in Clinical Trials: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 2020;22(11):e22179. jmir.org
- ASK, results from recruitment campaigns ASK has run.