Key Takeaways from the 2021 SCRS Site Solutions Summit
Reflections on the Summit
The 2021 Global Site Solutions Summit, hosted by the Society for Clinical Research Sites, was an amazing event. The first in-person event that our company has attended in 18 months, the Summit provided an opportunity for CRIO to meet new people and reconnect with clients and friends alike.
Post-Pandemic Trends, Here to Stay
This year, CRIO partnered with Jessica Branning, CEO, and Founder of ClinCloud, to present on the future trends shaping research and the implications for sites. In a nutshell, sponsors are moving forward with decentralized trials in an effort to recruit and retain more patients. As more trial components move to patient homes, site budgets may get pressured. However, sites now have more opportunities to offset this by recruiting from a wider geographic catchment and partnering with practices to mine their EMR systems for potential patients.
This means that winning sites are those that can perfect a business model of a dispersed network with a strong center, light-footprint, practice-embedded locations, and a technology-centered service delivery model. Jessica amplified these points beautifully with her compelling case study underscoring the steps her site has used to expand its reach deeper into the community and go paperless from day one.
Technology Streamlining Clinical Trials
Other sessions throughout the Summit reinforced these themes. We heard a lot of discussions about the shift toward DCT; the adoption of eConsent, including remote eConsent; the great potential for EMR to augment patient recruitment efforts; and the increasingly central role technology plays in streamlining clinical trials.
Smart Innovations
Besides meeting attendees, I also had the chance to walk the exhibit hall and meet other vendors. I was very impressed with the innovations being delivered by many of these new companies. Deep6AI, for instance, has developed a powerful AI-based engine to mine EMR systems for feasibility and eligibility purposes.
It’s no secret that Silicon Valley is placing big bets on some of these emerging technologies and business models. In the coming years, new winners will emerge, and incumbent vendors will shift their business model, or get eaten up.
What Lies Ahead?
What does this mean for CRIO? We are doubling down on our core strength – our technological innovation. We have a rich roadmap ahead of us, including sponsor-tailored solutions; more integrations and partnerships with the ecosystem; and EMR partnerships. The future is bright at CRIO. We’re powering what’s next in clinical trial technology.
