DelRicht Research is proud to spotlight the outstanding performance of Dr. Melita Tate and her team at Grassroots Healthcare in Tulsa, OK, who played a pivotal role in a global Phase 2 clinical trial focused on obesity in adults. Their site not only exceeded enrollment goals but also demonstrated how operational efficiency and local engagement can accelerate outcomes in high-complexity trials.

Surpassing Enrollment Targets

The sponsor’s goal for this global study was to enroll 360 participants across 60 sites. DelRicht’s assigned target was modest, six participants from a single location. Yet Dr. Tate’s team enrolled 11 participants, achieving 183% of the target, and have maintained a 0% discontinuation rate. Their performance earned them a place among the top 5 enrolling sites across the entire trial.

This outcome speaks volumes not only about recruitment strategy, but also about the team’s ability to operationalize a complex protocol under tight constraints.

Tackling Protocol Complexity with Precision

What set this study apart were its challenging screening requirements. Participants had to complete successful ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) before randomization, a process limited by the availability of just five ABPM devices per site. This posed a real risk of scheduling delays and missed baselines.

Dr. Tate’s team built a scheduling system that prioritized quick turnaround and minimized device downtime. As a result, no baselines were missed, and all enrolled participants progressed smoothly through the pre-randomization phase.

Another layer of complexity came from eligibility criteria related to depression history, which required careful screening, documentation, and coordination. Rather than treating this as a barrier, the team worked proactively with the study CRA to review individual cases, clarify interpretations, and keep enrollment moving forward without protocol deviations.

Community-Driven Engagement, National-Level Impact

Behind this operational strength was a deeply rooted connection to the local community. Dr. Tate’s practice has long served a diverse adult population, and her team leveraged these relationships to identify and engage eligible participants. Their ability to build trust and communicate the value of research played a key role in minimizing screen failures and retaining participants through the full study window.

This site-level success contributed to broader trial performance. While many global sites struggled with delays or low enrollment, Dr. Tate’s site helped stabilize timelines and ensure sufficient data collection in a key patient population, adults aged 18 to 75 with obesity, an area of growing public health concern.

What This Means for Sponsors and CROs

This study reinforces several takeaways for sponsors and CROs seeking high-performing sites:

– Operational constraints (like device shortages) can be overcome with the right team infrastructure

– Eligibility complexity demands proactive CRA collaboration and communication

– Sites with community trust and tailored workflows consistently outperform projections

Dr. Melita Tate and her team exemplify the type of agile, performance-driven partnerships DelRicht brings to every trial.

Partner With Us

At DelRicht Research, we don’t just meet enrollment goals, we exceed them by building site-level systems that are flexible, responsive, and rooted in community relationships. If you’re looking for a site network that delivers high-quality results in high-barrier trials, we’d love to connect.

Learn more about our performance across obesity and other therapeutic areas at www.DelRichtResearch.com or reach out to explore partnership opportunities.