Many people who sign up for clinical trials never get a response. They see an ad, fill out a form, and then wait. Days turn into weeks, and the call they expected never arrives. Behind the scenes, research coordinators are overwhelmed with spreadsheets, chasing leads that often lead nowhere. As a result, trials struggle to meet their enrollment goals, and important research projects risk falling apart. Paul Neyman noticed this problem early on. A trained engineer from Berkeley with nearly 20 years in enterprise tech, he was familiar with delays and inefficiencies in healthcare recruitment. His friend Ilya showed him a prototype using generative AI to automate patient outreach and screening, and everything clicked. That conversation over lunch led to the creation of Areti Health, a platform that now connects to over 250 million patient records, matches candidates to trial criteria in seconds, and manages outreach, prescreening, and scheduling without human intervention. In one Alzheimer’s study, where manual recruitment was expected to take six months, Areti scheduled 305 patients in just three weeks. This innovation is changing how clinical trials recruit participants and overcome one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges.

The Roots of the Recruitment Problem

Clinical trial recruitment has long been a bottleneck in medical research. Many trials fail to meet their enrollment targets, leading to delays or even cancellations. The process is often slow and inefficient because it relies heavily on manual outreach. Research coordinators spend countless hours calling potential participants, sending emails, and sifting through spreadsheets to find suitable candidates. This approach is not only time-consuming but also prone to human error. Patients often drop out or lose interest during the long waiting periods, which further hampers recruitment efforts. The result is a cycle of frustration for researchers and missed opportunities to develop new treatments.

Furthermore, many patients who might qualify for trials never learn about them. Healthcare providers and trial sites lack the tools to efficiently identify and reach out to eligible participants. This disconnect means that promising treatments could be delayed simply because the right patients weren’t recruited in time. The traditional methods are simply too slow and inefficient to keep up with the demands of modern clinical research. As a result, innovative solutions are desperately needed to streamline recruitment and ensure that trials can progress smoothly and on schedule.

How AI is Changing the Game

Paul Neyman and his team at Areti Health have developed a platform that harnesses AI to solve these problems. The system connects to vast patient databases, quickly matches individuals to trial criteria, and automates outreach and scheduling. This means that research coordinators no longer need to spend hours making phone calls or manually reviewing records. Instead, the platform handles these tasks in seconds, freeing up staff to focus on more complex issues. One major success was in an Alzheimer’s trial, where manual recruitment was expected to take six months. Areti’s AI scheduled 305 patients in just three weeks, a remarkable acceleration that could save months or even years of research time.

The platform also improves the participant experience. Patients receive personalized outreach and are prescreened efficiently, reducing their wait times and increasing engagement. Importantly, the system is designed to build trust with patients, especially those who are vulnerable or hesitant about participating in research. This focus on trust has helped shift the perception of AI from skepticism to collaboration among clinical research teams. Coordinators now see AI as a valuable partner that enhances their ability to reach more people quickly and accurately.

Building technology that earns patient trust requires careful attention to privacy, transparency, and communication. Areti Health emphasizes these principles, ensuring that patients feel secure and respected throughout the process. As AI continues to evolve, it offers a promising path toward more inclusive, efficient, and successful clinical trials. By automating routine tasks and providing deeper insights, AI is helping researchers bring new treatments to patients faster than ever before.

Inspired by

• https://justainews.com/industries/healthcare-and-medical/interview-paul-neyman-co-founder-and-cro-areti-health/

Sources

• aretihealth.com