Patient data mining for clinical trials

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for selecting prospective patients for a clinical trial. In various embodiments, a clinical trials brokerage is configured to receive requests from drug companies for lists of persons meeting specified criteria for clinical trials. Patient records are retrieved from a structured computerized patient record (CPR) data warehouse populated with comprehensive patient information mined from unstructured hospital records. A list of persons for whom consent was obtained can be outputted and forwarded to the entity interested in performing the clinical trial and which requested the list. Anonymity of a patient can be maintained until the patient provides consent to participate in the clinical trial.

1 . A method for maximizing patient opportunity to participate in clinical trials, the method comprising: 
 (a) maintaining by a brokerage a list of patients administered a placebo in a first clinical trial; and    (b) including by the brokerage the patients of the list for consideration of a second clinical trial, the second clinical trial different than the first clinical trial.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (a) and (b) are preformed with a machine.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) determining with a machine whether the patients meet criteria for the second clinical trial.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) retrieving patient information with a machine from multiple, different types of data sources; and    (d) determining whether the at least one patient meets criteria for the second clinical trial as a function of the patient information and inclusion on the list.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (b) comprises including where a first drug for the first clinical trial is similar to a second drug for the second clinical trial.  
   
   
       6 . A system for maximizing patient opportunity to participate in clinical trials, the system comprising: 
 a database of a list of patients administered a placebo in a first clinical trial; and    a machine operable to determine eligibility of the patients for a second clinical trail as a function, at least in part, of inclusion of the patients on the list, the second clinical trial different than the first clinical trial.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the machine is operable to determine whether the patients meet criteria for the second clinical trial.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the machine is operable to retrieve patient information from multiple, different types of data sources and is operable to determine the eligibility as a function of the patient information.