The Real Reason Docs Aren’t Sending You Study Patients

So, you’ve built a meticulously designed protocol. Your study site is fully staffed and ready to go. On top of that, your recruitment materials look professional. So, where are your referrals from local physicians?

Despite being one of the most effective recruitment channels today, community physicians remain an untapped resource for far too many trials. Whether it's that sponsors assume doctors aren’t interested, or it's that doctors say they never got the information, the real barriers are much more practical and solvable than you might think.

Let's take a look at some of the most common obstacles preventing community physicians from becoming active referral partners in clinical trial recruitment. We’ll bust some common myths, surface the real roadblocks behind low referral rates, and show you exactly how to turn missed opportunities into confident physician partnerships and measurable recruitment wins.

Addressing the Biggest Myth in Clinical Trial Referrals.

What’s the biggest myth when it comes to physician referrals? That doctors don’t want to help.

It's an extremely common misconception, and something that needs to be cleared up ASAP.

The truth is, doctors aren’t avoiding clinical trial referrals because they’re worried about losing patients or revenue. In fact, the opposite is true, and the stats might surprise you.

According to a BBK Worldwide survey, 69% of surveyed physicians reported they had already referred patients to clinical studies. Yet more than half of sponsors (53%) still believe doctors are unwilling to refer, creating a disconnect that continues to stall recruitment efforts across the industry.

The problem isn’t reluctance, though. It’s a matter of access and awareness. Only 9% of physicians cited concerns about losing patients or revenue as barriers, which directly challenges the industry narrative that physicians are protecting their practices at the expense of research opportunities.

Simply put, if you want to activate this high-trust referral channel, it’s not just about convincing doctors to care. It's about making it easier for them to act.

So, What's Really Holding Doctors Back?

If physicians are willing to refer patients to clinical trials, what could possibly be stopping them?

The gap between intention and action is where the true recruitment challenge lies. When we dig deeper into the research, three clear barriers emerged that explain why even supportive doctors aren't connecting their patients to your studies, including:

They Don’t Have the Information They Need.

The numbers reveal a striking disconnect. According to recent studies, 90% of physicians feel comfortable discussing clinical trials with patients. Yet, less than 1% actively refer patients to studies. Why is this? 

For many physicians, the reason they aren't referring is simply because they lack direct access to study protocols. Unless they're serving as the principal investigator, physicians are disconnected from the actual trial information they need to make informed referrals. The sheer volume of clinical trials—with thousands running simultaneously and new ones launching constantly—makes staying current nearly impossible. Even keeping track of studies being conducted at their own institution can be challenging.

While clinicaltrials.gov exists as a public resource, its notoriously difficult navigation and outdated information make it an unreliable tool for busy clinicians trying to identify appropriate studies for their patients. Without a direct line to current protocol details, doctors can't recommend trials they struggle to find or fully understand.

Without clear, accessible information that connects directly to their patient population, even supportive physicians are being sidelined in the process.

They Don’t Know Where to Send Patients.

Unfortunately, even when physicians understand a trial might benefit their patients, a striking 48% of them report not knowing where to refer their patients.

The contact information listed on clinicaltrials.gov often leads to dead ends—unreturned calls, full voicemail boxes, or study coordinators who have moved on. Physicians simply don't have time to chase down the right person through multiple attempts, so the burden shifts to patients, who must navigate the referral maze themselves. And without a clear path forward, even the best intentions stall out.

Doctors don't need abstract overviews, outdated contact lists, or a five-step email chain. They need referral workflows that mirror how they already operate, meaning they need quick tools, clear contacts, and one-click actions that actually connect them to someone who can enroll their patient today.

Essentially, if it's not easy to refer a patient, it probably won't happen.

Time is the Hidden Barrier.

Perhaps the most underestimated obstacle is simply time. One third of physicians (33%) candidly admit they don't have time to learn about available trials, regardless of their interest level or the potential benefits to their patients.

And it’s no wonder! Referring to a clinical trial isn’t just about handing over a flyer. It requires a comprehensive understanding of the protocol, being able to effectively answer patient questions, or having to navigate a new or sometimes unfamiliar process.

In other words, you’re not just asking for a referral…you’re asking them to rework how they operate. So, unless trial engagement becomes fast, intuitive, and built into existing workflows, time will keep standing in the way of successful clinical trial recruitment referrals.

How Physician Referrals Can Transform Your Research Program.

When physicians actively refer patients to your studies, the benefits extend far beyond just faster enrollment numbers. Strong referral partnerships create positive ripple effects that enhance every aspect of your research program—from accelerated recruitment timelines to improved data quality to more efficient budget utilization.

In turn, this enables sponsors to meet milestones on schedule, sites to exceed enrollment targets, and trust to strengthen across the entire research ecosystem.

How does this happen? It starts with understanding that...

Patient Trust Starts With Their Doctor.

According to the latest CISCRP data, 8 out of 10 patients say they would consider joining a clinical trial if their doctor recommended it, and 61% would start by asking their physician if they wanted to learn more. Yet despite this high level of interest and trust, 90% of patients say their provider has never mentioned a clinical trial as a care option.

This means the most influential touchpoint in the patient journey isn't being activated, and to make matters worse, it's costly. 

When doctors don't bring trials into the conversation, patients are far less likely to seek them out on their own. And without that trusted introduction, even the best-designed study may never reach the people it was built to help.

Did You Know That Physician Referrals Drive Better Recruitment and Higher Retention Rates?

While it’s not as big a fear as we make ourselves in the industry, there is a lingering fear among some physicians that referring a patient to a clinical trial means losing them. But in reality, 79% of patients who participate in a clinical trial return to their original physician for continued care. Another 11% split their time between their study doctor and their regular provider.

Far from ending the relationship, referrals often deepen it by showing patients that their doctor is exploring every possible option to support their health. Therefore, clinical trials shouldn’t be seen as competing with care, but they should be viewed as a natural extension of it. When physicians are engaged and part of the process, recruitment improves, retention increases, and patients stay connected to the care teams they trust most.

Changing the Narrative: How Sponsors and CROs Can Encourage Doctors to Refer With Confidence.

The good news is that closing the physician referral gap is entirely within reach. Most doctors are open to recommending clinical trials, especially when the process feels easy, straightforward, and aligned with how they already deliver care. Sponsors and CROs just need to meet physicians where they are and give them the right tools to act with confidence.

Now that we’ve explored both the barriers and benefits of physician referrals, it's helpful to understand the solutions that can transform how community doctors engage with your clinical trials in the future.

Use your clinical data system to identify your warmest leads.

Instead of asking physicians to sift through charts or guess who might be eligible, why not bring the right patients to them?

That’s where Trially comes in. Our platform proactively surfaces high-quality candidates directly within the EHR, highlighting who qualifies, when they’re scheduled to visit the clinic, and where any information gaps might exist. This allows physicians to have more informed, timely conversations with patients who are already in their care. 

The result? You’re no longer starting from zero. You’re recruiting from your warmest leads, like patients who already trust their doctor. And by closing this loop, Trially helps physicians do what they already want to do (recommend the right trials to the right patients at the point-of-care).

Build better physician education early in the process

If you want to encourage more referrals, don't wait until recruitment starts to engage physicians. Involve community doctors when protocols are still taking shape. When doctors understand not just the science but the real-world impact on their patients, they are far more likely to engage.

Remember, doctors evaluate trials through a patient care lens, not research objectives. A one-page summary highlighting patient benefits will generate more referrals than a 20-page protocol document ever could.

So, skip the dense technical specs and instead offer brief summaries, key inclusion criteria, and examples of who might benefit.

Make it ridiculously easy to refer

Referrals shouldn’t require guesswork or jumping through unnecessary hoops. Providing doctors with referral kits, FAQ sheets, and one-click tools can go a long way. Better yet, consider designing referral workflows that mimic their existing clinical routines. The closer your process resembles how physicians already refer to specialists, the more natural it will feel to incorporate into their routine.

Treat community physicians as strategic partners

Stop viewing doctors as just referral sources and start treating them as valued research partners. That means staying in touch, offering visibility into patient outcomes, and demonstrating the value trials bring to both their patients and their practice.

When doctors see how their referrals impact potential patient care, they're naturally motivated to continue. Then, you can close the loop by sharing study results and insights that might influence future treatment decisions. This transparency demonstrates respect for their role and further reinforces why their continued participation matters, also encouraging them to refer more often.

Final thoughts: It’s not resistance. It’s a lack of resources.

We think it's time to finally put the myth to rest. Physicians are not ignoring clinical trials because they are disinterested or afraid of losing patients. They are overwhelmed, underinformed, and working without the support they need to confidently make referrals. 

The data is clear. This is not about reluctance, but about a lack of resources, knowledge, communication, and incentives. 

What does that mean for sponsors and CROs? It means physician outreach should not focus on persuasion. It should focus on enablement. When doctors are given timely information, when eligible patients are clearly surfaced within the EHR, and when referrals fit naturally into their daily routines, they WILL act. 

By addressing the practical barriers physicians face and treating them as valued collaborators rather than gatekeepers, you can transform your recruitment approach and tap into one of the most powerful channels for finding qualified, engaged study participants. 

So, close the information gap, and you strengthen your referral pipeline! Because physicians do not need to be convinced. They just need your support.

Ready to close the gap?

If you are ready to change your recruitment strategy from reactive to proactive, we are here to help.

Trially empowers research teams, physicians, and sponsors to work smarter, faster, and with greater precision. Our platform integrates directly into your EHR or CRM system, surfacing high-quality, trial-eligible patients in real time. No guesswork, no manual chart reviews, just the right patients, identified at the right time, with the right information to act.

With Trially, you can fill trials faster by multiplying enrollment rates, reducing screen failures, and focusing your precious site resources where they matter most. Our technology is fully compliant with HIPAA, SOC 2, and FDA CFR 21 Part 11 standards, and was designed specifically for the realities of modern research sites.

If 8 in 10 patients would consider a trial when their doctor recommends it, your warmest leads are already in your system.

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