For how advanced the American healthcare system is, patients have an especially hard time understanding it.
Ever walked into a doctor’s office knowing you probably weren’t going to understand all the medical terminology or complex forms thrown at you? It can certainly be a discouraging feeling knowing that you aren’t as informed as you’d like to be in making the best healthcare decisions.
In fact, it’s one of the biggest literacy gap barriers that prevents more patients from discovering clinical trials as a treatment option.
In general, most people understand clinical research as a way for new treatments to be introduced to the larger population. However, they fail to realize that it can also be an opportunity for them to get access to the latest advances in medical technology before anyone else. Rather than needing to wait the long months or years it could take for new treatments to arrive at the pharmacies, they could get access to it right away.
Yet, just like how the healthcare process can get overwhelming to understand, the whole concept of clinical trial research certainly isn’t an exception. As a prospective patient yourself, it might be just as hard to make informed decisions if you aren’t totally aware of what’s going on.
Luckily, you won’t have to be completely on your own.
You might just be able to rely on the help of a Clinical Trial Navigator (CTN). The healthcare professional tasked with this role is usually the one that will work directly with the investigator to carry out the trials according to the regulations and protocol established.
In addition to that crucial task, they’ll also be the ones that will focus on patient experience throughout the trials. Whether it be aiding in health education, discussing the details of the study with you, or taking care of logistics like transportation, they’ll be able to provide you with personalized guidance so that you never fall behind.
In this value-based healthcare system, a CTN is one of the most important resources that all stakeholders can look to. In particular for the patient, they’ll focus on building a relationship with you throughout the journey so that you can feel comfortable with every big decision made. They’re a big part of the solution that goes against the healthcare literacy gap that exists in the United States.
If clinical trials are one of the treatment options you’re considering, then your CTN will ensure that your care and experience are uplifted. Don’t hesitate to participate in the latest scientific advancements today with the best clinical research specialists at Coastal.
