Researchers, sponsors, and CRO’s know that the time to think deeply about clinical trial oversight is before a trial starts, not after. We need only glance at the recent headlines about DSMBs to see how important it is to stay ahead of the curve.
Boston Consulting Group has found that 70% of digital transformations end in failure, and that just 30% of companies are succeeding. So what does it take to make sure you and your oversight teams are in that top third?
In this age where digitally enabled productivity gains are accelerating the fourth industrial revolution across industries, it means identifying and making critical changes.
Here are the 4 critical considerations for your clinical trial oversight team to discuss today.
1. SHARED EXPECTATIONS & NORMS DRIVE CLINICAL TRIAL OVERSIGHT SUCCESS
Communication expectations and norms must be set for the DSMB and other stakeholders before the study begins. Especially in the emerging post-pandemic world where the rules are being rewritten for everyone, clear expectations are paramount.
This means getting involved, from the top and from the beginning, with how DSMB teams are interacting. Beyond the required protocols, is everyone who needs to be communicating already communicating? As the sands shift beneath our very feet, we all need to align around resetting norms.
2. SOFTWARE TRAINING & SUPPORT MUST UNDERSTAND CLINICAL TRIAL OVERSIGHT
As a smart software company, we believe in the power of technology. And because we know that shifting habits is hard, we believe even more in robust support and training.
Researchers, sponsors, and CRO’s must ask: Does everyone on the DSMB know how to use the software? Have all support staff and experts been properly onboarded and trained? Does everyone know who to call if there is a software question? When shifting the habits and processes, ongoing support and training are critical. Make sure it’s set up in advance for your team.
3. PUT THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ODDS IN YOUR FAVOR FOR REAL CLINICAL TRIAL OVERSIGHT
Boston Consulting Group has found that the majority of companies attempting a digital transformation fail. So what does this mean for the clinical trial oversight ecosystem? It means that the odds are stacked against us all -- unless we make educated changes. BCG has also identified the key factors for flipping the odds of digital transformation success in your favor, and they all deal with having a clear strategy that starts from the top, stays agile, and involves measuring and monitoring along the way.
In the complex clinical trial oversight ecosystem, setting the right tone from sponsors, researchers, and CRO’s is critical, and that starts with the earliest conversations about the next study.
4. MEASURE YOUR RESULTS FOR BETTER CLINICAL TRIAL OVERSIGHT
To improve, we must measure. We all know this, yet it remains difficult to put into action. This simple paradox makes the necessity of ongoing and targeted outcome measurement absolutely critical for improving clinical trial oversight.
The good news is that implementing a single, secure smart software hub will do both. It puts processes and protocols in place that will support better outcomes, and it implements automated measurement of outcomes that will make it easy to show just how much your DSMB is contributing to improved outcomes, from improved clarity of communication to rapid efficiency of creating reports and sharing data.
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The time has already arrived for improved clinical trial oversight. The question is not whether it is possible, but whether you are ready to step into the critical considerations that will make the future of the clinical trial oversight ecosystem as good as it possibly can be.
Let’s do this.
Talk to someone today about how your team can step into
the future of clinical trial oversight.