Once our site is selected by the sponsor, we begin to tell patients about our new protocol to see if they qualify and are interested. Each patient is carefully informed of the risks and benefits of the program. Detailed information is provided that they can review at their leisure either in our office or at home. Questions are strongly encouraged, both from the patient themselves and from family members. No research program is ever a contract. Patients are free to discontinue participation at any time for any reason. The only thing we usually ask is one last visit to make sure that the patient is healthy before ending the program, but even that is optional. If a patient decides that they no longer want to continue, it does not impact their relationship with our physicians.

We match patients to protocols so that our patients have access to cutting edge options before the rest of the population. This benefits the sponsor company by helping build the knowledge about a particular medication, and it benefits the patient by providing them with frequent evaluations and access to new medications. This also benefits future generations. Without clinical research today, there would be no new medications tomorrow.
As one can tell, the clinical research industry is very important because patients have the capabilities to not only change their immediate future in a positive way; but they are also the key to positively changing many generations to come.

When you seek medical care, you want the very best. We are dedicated to providing the best available care through clinical research studies.
If you are seeking to enroll in a clinical trial, you are not alone. Millions of people enroll nationwide every year. Participants in these studies help answer important questions about the best ways to diagnose and treat various medical conditions. People choose research for several reasons: to help others, to advance science or knowledge about a particular disease or treatment, to receive options that might not be available outside of a research facility, and to have state of the art research analysts involved in their case.

After interested and qualified patients are found, these patients consult with our specialized physicians and coordinators to begin the research program. Generally, this begins with a “screening visit” where the patient is first brought in to carefully review the informed consent to make sure the program is something they want to do. Only after all of the risks and benefits are explained and all questions are answered do we proceed. Next we collect a detailed medical history and usually draw labs and do a physical exam. These are done to make sure that the patient is an appropriate candidate for the program. 
Once the screening visit lab results are received, the next step is the “baseline visit”. This is the first visit where the patient receives the study medication. Generally, this visit typically includes questionnaires, lab draws, and a physical exam though what is done varies depending on the specific research program. The screening visit and the baseline visit are typically the longest two visits of the program. 
The next step is follow-up visits. These can be spaced several days to several weeks after the baseline visit depending on the complexity of the program. These are on a predetermined schedule that is explained at the screening and baseline visits. Some programs are as short as a month, whereas some last for five years or more. Each one is different. 

Medical advances throughout history have been possible because of selfless volunteers, and in many cases participants in research have benefited from the advantages of tomorrow’s medicine. Many have enjoyed increased quality of life, improved health and well-being and have enjoyed knowing they are part of medical history, by helping tomorrow’s future. Today is the perfect day to volunteer. Enroll today for tomorrow’s future.