Patient Services for a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Trial
Providing secure and consistent ground transport by trained professionals for adult PTSD patients.
The Challenge
When we began the Phase III Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder trial, we expected to face challenges. mdgroup was trusted to provide ground transportation for every patient from home to the site. Each participant had unique needs, challenges, and requirements, and the risk of patients missing visits, withdrawing from the study, or failing to enroll was high without personalized support.
Trust and safety
Gaining patient trust would be a challenge throughout the study. Some patients were afraid to drive themselves or even be inside a vehicle. Drivers would need to drive defensively and ensure patients feel safe and comfortable on the road. Due to the nature of PTSD, standard cadence, conversation topics, or body language from a driver could be perceived by a patient as threatening, uncomfortable, or intimidating. A lack of familiarity with a driver could also lead to distrust, and frequent patient requests were for the same drivers or for drivers to wait throughout the appointment duration. Failure to provide a personalized or highly sensitive approach to the transportation experience would ultimately lead to patients avoiding their transport, distancing themselves from the site/study, and discontinuing their enrollment.
Trauma sensitivity
For some female patients whose PTSD stemmed from abuse, riding alone with a male driver could trigger anxiety, distress, or even panic. Several participants stated they would only travel with a female driver to feel safe and secure. To address this, we carefully planned for situations when a female driver might not be available, ensuring alternative arrangements were in place so patients were never put in an uncomfortable or triggering situation.
Comorbidities and compliance
Most PTSD patients also possess at least one additional comorbidity, with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder frequently seen in the study, among others. Depression and anxiety significantly affect patient compliance, often reducing motivation and making it difficult for participants to keep up with follow-ups or commit to long-term study requirements. Expecting patients to arrange their own taxis or app-based car services and then manage reimbursements would have resulted in countless missed visits and withdrawals. For this study, a hands-off approach was not an option. Success required accountability, trusted relationships, and a simplified process to ensure patients felt supported, accepted transportation, and consistently attended their site visits.
The Solution
We went above and beyond to provide safe, sensitive, and patient-first ground transportation that met individual needs in a scalable, consistent way.
Our approach included:
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Quality and trust: Vetting every driver for background, driving record, and compatibility.
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Training: Providing driver training on patient population needs, covering behavior, communication, and trauma sensitivity.
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Ingenuity: Using a specialized ride service with tracking, reminders, repeat driver assignment, and patient-specific pools (such as female-only drivers).
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Consistency: Offering door-to-door service with driver notifications, profiles, and on-site waiting when needed.
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Human connection: Building relationships that created trust, accountability, and motivation for patients to leave home and attend visits.
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Transparency: Maintaining close engagement with sites, including updates on patient scheduling, transport, and location, to provide added reassurance.
This blend of logistics and empathy demonstrated mdgroup’s expertise in patient travel in clinical trials, removing a major barrier to participation for a highly vulnerable patient group.
The Outcome
We are committed to making patients as comfortable as possible, and no request is ever too great for our team. We delivered every patient to the site with their personal needs fulfilled and ensured that not a single logistical task was left for the patient – the only thing they had to do was get in the car.
Both sponsors and patients confirmed that without this service, many would not have enrolled or completed their study visits. Patients reported feeling safe, cared for, and respected, while sponsors saw improved retention, compliance, and even boosted recruitment. The consistency of the transportation experience was a key factor in study completion.
The promise of clean, secure, personalized, door-to-door patient transportation removed barriers during informed consent and directly contributed to higher, sustained enrollment rates.
This case study highlights how patient transportation in clinical trials is not just about logistics; it is central to retention, recruitment, and the integrity of trial data.
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