4 Best Digital Developments in Clinical Trial Industry

The clinical research industry has been rapidly remodeled by the digital revolution.

This paradigm shift is exploding into a new way of drug development and clinical trials – a way where patient centricity is at utmost precedence.

Additionally, revolving business models, services, and products around the patient are becoming the new normal. Particularly, in the clinical trial management industry; sponsors, CROs, and sites are conducting trials to drive patient-centric outcomes and launch new drugs into the market.

Consolidating Patient Information

Physicians, patients, and even pharmaceutical companies now have easy access to accurate medical information. Valuable patient information around prior visits and historical medical conditions are all stored in one place. The paper files and recruitment have been digitalized to accelerate the trial process. For example, as the patient enters the facility for screening, their updated profile is pulled up within a matter of seconds for clinical testing. Immediately, the lab technicians on the dosing floor are notified so they can help organize equipment and prepare staff for procedures that the patient will undergo.

Implementing the latest EHR and EDC technology to replace outdated systems can positively impact the patient’s journey in a clinical trial. Patients are not required to fill out a huge list of forms or worry about remembering their medical history. Payment and receipts are triggered as soon as the patient completes their visit. Everything is documented through a secure and compliant system, delivering an enhanced patient experience.

Creating The Protocol With Patient In Mind

Some sponsors are closely ensuring that the trial is measuring patient-centric outcomes.  Long gone are the days where the trial is designed based on the physician’s opinion. Sponsors are beginning to realize that in order to launch a novel drug into the market that improves the quality of life, pharmacology efficacy is not the only important measure.

In fact, sponsors are realizing that it’s more beneficial to measure patient-centric outcomes. To achieve this, sponsors, CROs, and sites are approaching the patient directly. Conducting surveys and qualitative research are just a few ways patients are being identified to evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Organizing patients and leads in a database makes it easier to broadcast essential communications to your participants. With the right software, sending targeted surveys, obtaining and recording feedback are automated through a streamlined, technological process.

Considering A Hybrid Or Virtual Trial

Going completely virtual during today’s COVID-19 pandemic makes a lot of sense, a virtual/siteless trial is also a great option in a non-pandemic situation; considering you do not need large equipment to conduct CT scans, X-Rays, and MRIs. Pivoting towards such studies lessens the burden on patients. Nurses and phlebotomists can visit patients in the comfort of their own homes. Where scanning machines are needed, sites can schedule briefer, focused visits to solely handle scans and have the remaining procedures done remotely.

Considering nearly 30% of participants live more than two hours away from a trial facility, siteless trials save patients a ton of time and headache from not having to commute to the facility. In addition, if the study is a viral study, patients are better off staying home rather than being in proximity of infected patients.

Management with Software

Sponsors, CROs, and sites are shifting from using manual processes to using a Clinical Trial Management Software (CTMS) that helps them manage everything from study planning, communication collaboration, patient recruiting, and study closeout. More importantly than making life easier for these businesses, a robust CTMS helps foster a patient-centric mindset from the start to end of clinical trial service. Numerous sponsors, CROs, and sites have proven that using an end-to-end CTMS:

• • • Reduces patient recruitment time by about half
    • Increases the number of patients for a trial
    • Improves trial efficiency
    • Mitigates communication gaps and barriers
    • Demonstrates a clinical trial management model of prioritizing the patient experience

At the core of it all; a shift toward digital helps sponsors, CROs, and sites keep track of complex processes, all the while prioritizing patient experience.

Click here to learn more about what Cloudbyz CTMS can do for your organization or request a virtual demo today. For more information, please e-mail us at info@cloudbyz.com.

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References

• https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Headlines/Promotional-Features/How-companies-are-realizing-the-potential-of-virtual-and-hybrid-clinical-trials
• https://www.firmaclinicalresearch.com/patient-centric-clinical-trial/
• https://acrpnet.org/2018/11/13/achieving-patient-centricity-in-clinical-trials-uncovering-the-mystery/