The following three questions were asked by sites in a recent webinar held by BTC Network titled “Standing Out as a Site in a Crowded Research Space”
- How do you maintain a relationship with a sponsor or CRO when your main contact leaves the organization?
This is always a challenge as there is a large amount of turnover at the sponsor and CRO level. Stay on top of great contacts that are familiar with your site by utilizing LinkedIn to find out new place of employment and reach out to the person via LinkedIn Messenger. LinkedIn can also be a good resource to find out who has replaced your old contact. Once you know who that person is, you can introduce yourself and start out by discussing the relationship you have had with that company. If you have previously done studies for that sponsor or CRO, chances are you will be in their system and you can start building a new relationship.
- Besides available equipment, what else should be included on a site’s website?
A site’s website should market to both patients and potential sponsor/CRO clients. For patients, you will want your site’s website to be encouraging; you want potential patients to be excited about clinical research after visiting your site. Break down clinical trial barriers by including some basic information about clinical research so potential patients can understand what to expect. The most important item to have on your website for patients is a “current studies” section listing out the indications for which you are currently recruiting. Next to this section should be a contact form so patients can demonstrate their interest and the appropriate site staff can follow-up with a pre-screen. For sponsors, equipment, number of beds, inpatient/outpatient, number of exam rooms, type of staff conducting clinical trials among other facility details are important. It also may be a good idea to state some companies you have previously worked with and a comprehensive list of indications your team has worked on while your site has been in operation. This will show your breadth of experience and make your site more attractive to potential sponsors.
- What are the best metrics to present to sponsors to show the value of a site?
There are several great metrics that sites can present to demonstrate value to sponsors. (1) Previous study metrics (# screened, # randomized, # contracted, duration of enrollment), especially if you have them in a similar indication to the studies you are vying for. (2) Highlight patient population noting how many applicable patients you have in your database and how many of those you may be treating every day/week. (4) Number of people in your geographic area that you are marketing towards. (5) Demonstrating that your database is searchable or is maintained through a CTMS system. (5) While conducting budget negotiations, any previous metrics on recruitment, including which tactics have been most successful, can provide needed justification to convince sponsors to allocate a larger advertising budget.
Ready to learn how maximize your site operation efforts? Click the button below to watch our webinar on how to make your site stand out and grow your study pipeline.
