PROPEL

Why Your Clinical Research Site Needs More Than a CTMS

January 17, 2024 by

Clinical trials require precise management across various domains such as patient recruitment, data collection, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder communication. While Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) have been pivotal in organizing and simplifying many of these aspects for clinical research sites, the complexity of modern clinical research often necessitates a broader array of solutions.  

CTMS platforms are instrumental in managing the logistics of clinical trials. Its primary functions include organizing and tracking study milestones, managing patient recruitment and data, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and handling site management and financial aspects of the trials. These systems are crucial for maintaining an organized workflow and ensuring that all trial aspects are conducted according to protocol and within regulatory bounds. However, the landscape of clinical research is continuously evolving, driven by technological advancements, increasing data volumes, and more stringent regulatory requirements. As a result, clinical trials are becoming more complex and diversified, often involving multifaceted data sources, varying patient demographics, and innovative study designs. Accordingly, relying solely on CTMS may fall short of meeting the diverse and expanding needs of modern trials.  

Beyond enrollment and the more limited scope of a CTMS, Devana Solutions’ PROPEL cloud-based platform expands the power of your data and trial administration. From pipeline management and pre-award milestones through to trial completion, PROPEL enables you to standardize, streamline, and automate all of your clinical trial processes. 

Enhanced Data Analytics 

PROPEL indications dashboard

PROPEL Indications Dashboard.

Clinical trials generate vast amounts of data, and leveraging this data effectively can be a game-changer. While a CTMS is proficient at managing enrollment and select operational data, PROPEL adds a layer of advanced analytic capabilities on top. PROPEL’s seamless integrations with the leading CTMS providers eliminate duplicate data entry and offer more robust reporting. See all your data for the entire clinical trial process in one place. From opportunities still in the pipeline to trials in pre- and post-award stages, easily break down your data by trial, site, indication, sponsor, and more – all in real time. 

In combining PROPEL’s analytics with a CTMS, research organizations gain valuable insights into site and overall performance, allowing for data-driven decisions that optimize trial design, recruitment strategies, and resource allocation. Plus, PROPEL’s powerful collaboration features allow you to seamlessly incorporate site feedback and updates into decisions, ultimately improving overall patient experience and trial outcomes. 

Adaptive Trial Management 

In clinical trial management, there is an increasing focus on adaptive trial designs and real-time adjustments. An adaptive design adds flexibility, allowing for certain modifications to be made after a trial is underway. The FDA released guidance on such trial designs in 2019. PROPEL’s agile project management tools and focus on site engagement complement a CTMS by providing a dynamic approach to trial management. With automated study startup workflows, PROPEL allows organizations to standardize and accelerate processes – saving time and money while also providing full visibility into current and next steps.  

Once a trial begins at a site, tracking progress and staying in touch is made easier with PROPEL – allowing both sides to update milestones, share key documents, and respond to questions. As a trial moves through the system, PROPEL captures turnaround timing metrics and performance insights which can be used to identify patterns and make quick adjustments on the fly.  

By integrating PROPEL with a CTMS and empowering sites, research organizations can adapt to emerging challenges, optimize resources, and make informed decisions on site selection and management, ensuring the success of adaptive trial designs. 

Beyond CTMS 

While a CTMS remains an indispensable tool for managing the operational aspects of clinical trials, its potential is maximized when integrated with complementary solutions like PROPEL. Working together, your CTMS and PROPEL provide a holistic view of your entire clinical trial process from start to finish. Manage trials, contacts, documents, and more – all in one place. And PROPEL’s open API also allows you to integrate other tools your team uses such as Outlook, Pardot, and beyond to help manage your customers and win future awards.  

An approach that combines patient-centric technologies, data analytics, regulatory compliance tools, and adaptive trial management systems empowers researchers to navigate the complexities of modern clinical research successfully. By embracing a comprehensive ecosystem of integrated solutions, the clinical trial community can enhance efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and accelerate the development of innovative treatments. 

Devana Solutions  

A RealTime Software Solutions Company, Devana Solutions is an innovative cloud-based clinical trial software provider that supports real-time collaboration between central research operations professionals and decentralized clinicians serving patients in diverse communities. Devana Solutions even bridges the technology access and data divide by seamlessly and securely connecting decentralized researchers to other mission-critical clinical trials systems.  

Let us show you in more detail what Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Outcomes could do for your clinical trial processes. Book a demo with Devana Solutions today to learn about our cloud-based data analytics clinical trial software for the clinical trials industry that integrates seamlessly with CTMS and other key systems to keep success in the crosshairs.  

PROPEL

Expedite Your Study Startup – A Site Checklist

November 16, 2023 by

Study startup and site activation are key to the clinical trial process, but often suffer from delays. It can be a time-consuming undertaking and requires multiple teams and moving parts to successfully begin a trial at the best sites for the protocol. In fact, a recent ACRP survey revealed that study startup was ranked among the top challenges facing clinical research sites. 

While sponsors handle much of the initial study startup process such as protocol development, PROPEL is designed to help site organizations accelerate the aspects that they control. Custom-made for clinical trials, PROPEL offers study startup automation and organized workflows to accelerate the clinical trial process for sites and site networks.  

Sites that have adopted PROPEL see almost 15 hours of time saved per study activation and 40% increased revenue. To assist sites and site networks in meeting targets, we’ve prepared a checklist that simplifies each step with tips to reduce potential delays and accelerate the study startup process. 

Fast-Track Study Startup

PROPEL manages and optimizes every part of the site side of study startup. And with PROPEL, unlike paper or a CTMS, both pre- and post-award milestones can be tracked in the system by central teams or individual sites as trials progress.  

1. Site Selection

Successful trials depend on sourcing the right-fit sites for study opportunities. Sponsors prioritize the identification of site locations with abundant resources, including staff expertise, facilities, and accessibility to the target subject population. 

PRO TIP: To eliminate time spent on identifying sites with the relevant experience and resources, PROPEL’s query feature limits your search to only those sites matching the trial’s specific qualifications and capabilities. Opportunities and site responses are also centralized and tracked all in a single platform, simplifying oversight. 

2. Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDA)

CDAs are essential to ensuring the protection of sensitive information shared during the early stage of a clinical trial. A sponsor may choose to forward a protocol to the Principal Investigator (PI) for their consideration regarding trial participation. To protect confidential information within the protocol, the sponsor may issue a CDA.  

PRO TIP: Using PROPEL, sites can organize CDAs by attaching them directly to a trial. This allows for easy access and reference. With the inclusion of Master CDAs by the sponsor or CRO, the process becomes even more efficient, enabling quick retrieval and comparison of key information.  

PROPEL also tracks CDA status and completion by site, providing a comprehensive overview of the progress at each research site. This capability allows for effective monitoring of the CDA execution process, ensuring that all necessary parties have completed the required steps.   

3. Feasibility

Sites are tasked with filling out and returning site feasibility questionnaires to aid in the selection process and uncover potential participation opportunities in new studies.  

PRO TIP: PROPEL organizes this process by directly linking feasibility questionnaires to a trial and tracking completion by site. And with PROPEL’s Survey Feature, central teams can also create their own custom surveys and questionnaires, from feasibility and CSAT, to PI onboarding and equipment management. Surveys can be as general or specific as you want and for just about any use case.  

4. Pre-Selection Visit (PSV)

A PSV is a meeting with a sponsor representative to assess if your site is capable and equipped to conduct a specific trial. During this critical step, sites that do not meet the necessary requirements for conducting the trial will be excluded.  

PRO TIP: PROPEL enables sites to monitor PSV progress from requested to completed. For transparency and increased collaboration, users can share updates or missing items with the broader team for more support.  

5. Award Letter

The next stage in the startup process centers around managing awards, particularly if you’re running a site network. An award letter triggers another series of intricate processes that includes reviewing or establishing accounts and providing documentation of deliverables stipulated in award documents.   

PRO TIP: PROPEL uniquely streamlines this process, organizing which sites have been green lit for a study, and which are still working through pre-award milestones.    

6. Contracts & Budgets

Contracts and budgets must be established prior to the initiation of a study at your clinical research site. Beyond managing the various contracts, including CDAs and Clinical Trial Agreements (CTAs), sites are tasked with developing a comprehensive budget outlining all expenses related to conducting a clinical trial. These tasks ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and promote responsible fiscal management for both the PI and the site.  

PRO TIP: Rather than relying on traditional methods for managing this task, PROPEL is an innovative task manager that tracks the contract and budget progress, uploads relevant documents, and communicates updates and revisions. Leveraging PROPEL, sites can experience a reduction of up to 76% in contract and budget turnaround time.   

7. Regulatory

Gathering and sharing essential documents during study startup is another stage where teams commonly face challenges that slow down the process.  

PRO TIP: PROPEL effectively manages crucial regulatory milestones including Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, Informed Consent Form (ICF) preparations, and Site Initiation Visit (SIV) arrangements.  

With PROPEL, sites can track completion dates for each milestone, allowing for a clear overview of progress and ensuring timely follow-ups when necessary. Sites can seamlessly upload and organize pertinent documents, creating a centralized repository that simplifies accessibility and enhances regulatory compliance. The system also facilitates seamless communication and collaboration through chat conversation threads that enable efficient information sharing. 

Optimize Operations

PROPEL Enrollment Dashboard.

Once study startup is complete and the trial begins running at a site, PROPEL’s seamless integrations with leading CTMS such as RealTime, CRIO, and Clinical Conductor take over to track patient recruitment and enrollment. After the trial is completed, PROPEL further provides holistic trial performance metrics for site activities, enrollment, indications, and more.   

With full oversight into real-time trial milestones and site activity, central teams can leverage key startup metrics and trial performance reports to identify bottlenecks – allowing them to quickly act to help struggling sites.    

Key Benefits: 

  • Consolidate all your trial data, documents, and communication in one place. 
  • Keep central team members and site-based staff on the same page with powerful collaboration tools, eliminating needless emails, phone calls, and meetings inquiring about trial stages or updates.  
  • Centralize oversight of how trials are progressing.  
  • Share documents, tag users, and set custom alerts and reminders to keep tasks on track.  
  • By eliminating repetitive tasks and accelerating standard workflows with PROPEL, staff can spend more time on specialized tasks and patient-centric duties. Discover why the industry’s leading site networks have already adopted PROPEL. Startup up more studies faster and become a more competitive site organization with PROPEL.  

Devana Solutions  

Devana Solutions is an innovative cloud-based clinical trial software company that supports real-time collaboration between central research operations professionals and decentralized clinicians serving patients in diverse communities. Devana Solutions even bridges the technology access and data divide by seamlessly and securely connecting decentralized researchers to other mission-critical clinical trials systems.   

Let us show you in more detail what Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Outcomes could do for your clinical trial processes. Book a demo with Devana Solutions today to learn about our cloud-based data analytics clinical trial software for the clinical trials industry that integrates seamlessly with CTMS and other key systems to keep success in the crosshairs.