Embedding research recruitment in a community resource e-prescribing system: lessons from an implementation study on Chicago's South Side.

Abstract

The study sought to implement and assess the CommunityRx e-prescribing system to recruit research participants from a predominantly non-Hispanic Black community on Chicago's South Side. CommunityRx integrates with electronic medical record systems to generate a personalized list of health-promoting community resources (HealtheRx). Between December 2015 and December 2016, HealtheRxs distributed at outpatient visits to adults with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also incentivized participation in a pulmonary research registry. Usual practices for registry recruitment continued in parallel. Focus groups established acceptability and appropriateness among the target population. Pulmonary research registry recruitment information was included on 13437 HealtheRxs. Forty-one (90% non-Hispanic Black) patients responded with willingness to participate and 9 (8 non-Hispanic Black) returned a signed consent required to enroll. Usual recruitment practices enrolled 4 registrants (1 non-Hispanic Black). Automating research recruitment using a community e-prescribing system is feasible. Implementation of an electronic medical record-integrated, community resource referral tool promotes enrollment of eligible underrepresented research participants; however, enrollment was low.