The Activation Lab

In this episode, Sarah McKeown-Cannon and Sydney Zeve unpack the science behind readiness and what it really takes for both patients and physicians to say “yes” to clinical research. They introduce Heartbeat’s ART Score , a behavioral model that measures Activation, Readiness, and Trust across the patient and physician journey. From patient literacy and motivation to site referral dynamics, they e...

What happens when clinical research stops being transactional and starts becoming part of the neighborhood? In this episode, we go on the ground in Sunset Park, Brooklyn—Heartbeat’s first pilot location of the Hearts Of project. Skylar is joined by Sasha Sakay, Senior Strategy Manager at Heartbeat, to explore what it really takes to build trust at the community level, why showing up consistently m...

In this special on-the-ground episode of The Activation Lab , we head to Washington Square Park with one question: When it comes to your health, who do you trust? What follows is a series of candid conversations with everyday people—sharing what shapes their decisions, what makes them skeptical, and what it would take for them to ever consider joining a clinical trial. Skylar Moore reflects on wha...

Everyone in clinical research knows the scramble: enrollment stalls, pressure builds, and suddenly a study is in “rescue.” But what if the real issues start long before that moment? In this episode of The Activation Lab , Skylar Moore sits down with Brett DiSanto, Account Director at Heartbeat Clinical Research, to unpack the truths no one says out loud about rescue studies. From upstream missteps...

In this special episode recorded live from the Patients as Partners stage in Boston, Sarah McKeown-Cannon—SVP and Head of Heartbeat Clinical Research—challenges everything you thought you knew about patient recruitment. Sarah unpacks the true meaning of patient activation , explores the psychology of motivation and behavioral triggers, and makes a bold case for why it’s time to retire traditional...

Patient activation isn’t about persuasion—it’s about empowerment. In this episode of The Activation Lab , host Skylar Moore , Director of Growth & Marketing at Heartbeat Clinical Research, sits down with Sarah McKeown-Cannon , SVP and Head of Clinical Research, to break down the behavioral science behind activation. Why do traditional recruitment models keep failing? Because they focus on find...

Visit https://weareheartbeat.com/clinical-research today to learn more about Patient Activation. LIVE at the SCOPE 2025 Conference in Orlando, Florida, Sarah Mckeown-Cannon, SVP and Head of Clinical Research at Heartbeat moderates a panel of executives steeped in the patient recruitment and engagement space. The panel includes: Sasha Tyndale, Director of Diversity and Patient Inclusion at Abbvie,...