Bracket, a clinical trial specialty services provider, has announced platform updates to Bracket eCOA and Bracket RTSM to include native support for SMS messaging with patients and other stakeholders in clinical research programs. This important update expands the medication compliance and adherence functionality across Bracket’s eClinical portfolio, and provides an effective solution for supporting patients participating in clinical trials.

“Patient communication tools are an essential component of effective patient engagement programs, and these updates reinforce our commitment to improving the patient experience in research programs through progressive methods offered by healthcare IT,” said Jeff Kinell, chief executive officer for Bracket.

There is increasing evidence that text messaging is an effective and scalable tool for improving medication adherence amongst patients. Historically, interventions targeting medication adherence involved multimodal, resource intensive combinations that may not be feasible in clinical practice. Contrarily, text messaging offers confidential and unobtrusive support, instantaneous relay of information and boundless reach. A study review in the February issue of JAMA Internal Medicine reported:

• A 50% increase in adherence rates when text messaging was utilized
• High acceptance and satisfaction levels among most participants
• Text messaging support as a valuable reminder with ease of use

“Improving the way we engage with patients in clinical trials is an important goal, and introducing a simple and effective communication tool like SMS will help us achieve both better compliance and adherence in clinical trials,” said Dr. David Daniel, chief medical officer for Bracket.

In addition to direct-to-patient communication, the mobile text messaging platform can be leveraged to issue alerts to clinical trial sites, study sponsors, and CROs who are working with Bracket’s RTSM and eCOA tools.

Bracket launched the initial SMS platform in 2015, and will continue to integrate patient engagement tools across the product line through a series of product releases and integrations in 2016.