SCRS Talks (Society for Clinical Research Sites)

Jackie Kent, Chief Customer Officer at Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company, shares background on the SCRS Diversity Awareness Program and takeaways from hosting diversity-focused discussions with sites, patients, and industry partners. What strategies are working, and what can we expect next to ensure better diversity in clinical trials? Listen to this episode to learn more and be sure to join us at the inaugural Diversity Site Solutions Summit in Austin, Texas this May! https://diversitysitesolutionssummit.com/

Collaborating with other sites can expand your site's opportunities and revenue significantly when done right. Kay Scroggins, Steve Satek, and Ana Marquez discuss why they founded their new site network, Flourish Research, and advice they have for other sites looking to expand, sell or collaborate with one another. Find out how your site can grow through partnerships in this episode.

As many organizations within the clinical research industry search for candidates, many want to work with those they already know. Unfortunately, this means some CROs and sponsors are asking site staff to come and work for their organizations instead.  Karri Venn, Chief Operating Officer, President, and Chair of the Operating Board at Centricity Research discusses her experience with site staff poaching practices and how sites and industry can address the increasing demand for employees.

In February 2022, the Diverse and Equitable Participation in Clinical Trials (DEPICT) Act was submitted to legislation. Kim Kundert, Sr. Vice President of Site Development Services at Total Diversity Clinical Trial Management, joins us to discuss how the industry can prepare for upcoming changes surrounding diverse patient participation in clinical research.

Learn more about the DEPICT Act: https://myscrs.org/resources/depict-act/

Be a part of these critical discussions surrounding diversity in clinical trials at the SCRS IncluDE Site Solutions Summit: sitesolutionssummit.com

Comprised of experienced and committed executives representing different segments of the clinical research industry, the SCRS Leadership Council provides strategic guidance, policy decisions and oversight to SCRS. Our newest Leadership Council member Mohammad A. Millwala, CEO of DM Clinical Research, shares how he initially became involved with SCRS,  industry initiatives he is excited to work on, and predictions for the future of the site community.

In this episode, we're discussing a new U.S. law condition that states Medicaid is to cover the trial-related routine care costs for Medicaid beneficiaries in clinical trials. Effective January 2022, there is a new form for principal investigators to use in these instances to secure Medicaid coverage, creating an additional and potentially burdensome step for research sites and patients with Medicaid coverage.

David Vulcano, SCRS Honorary President and Vice President of Research Compliance & Integrity at HCA Healthcare has been close to this subject and will share some insights on what types of sites this affects and advice to navigate this new challenge.

In January 2022, the U.S. enacted legislation supporting our industry’s ability to sponsor more diverse, equitable, and inclusive clinical trials via the Clinical Treatment Act.  This law aims to create equal and increased access to clinical trials for more than 76 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid. SCRS sat down with Scott Gray, CEO of Clincierge, who shares more insight into this new law and how it may affect enrollment of diverse communities in trials.

SCRS is celebrating 10 years since our founder, Christine K. Pierre, officially formed the organization! We spoke with Clare Grace, Chief Patient Officer at one of SCRS' first Global Impact Partners, Parexel, to look back on why SCRS was created and how it has evolved through the years. We also explore current industry challenges SCRS is working to address, including how prioritizing site success impacts everyone in clinical research.

In this episode, SCRS is excited to showcase H1, one of SCRS' newest Global Impact Partners. We spoke with Adam Wyckoff, Director of Product Management, Clinical Trials, who shares why H1 believes listening to site voices is important and how they plan to work more closely with research sites in the future.  For more information about H1, please reach out to H1 at elizabeth.schwartz@h1.co.

Please join us in welcoming Aspen Insights to the SCRS Global Impact Partner program! Walter Storm, co-founder and CEO of Aspen Insights shares how his organization is listening to sites to understand their pain points and developing solutions to resolve them using data analytics. Listen to hear some initiatives Aspen Insights is working on to support site sustainability and streamlined trial enrollment through applied data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

This Clinical Trials Day is especially meaningful to SCRS because it is the same day as SCRS' first-ever Diversity Site Solutions Summit.  To share a preview of some of the critical discussions that we'll cover at the Summit, we are joined by Lorena Kuri from Bristol Myers Squibb, Lloryn Hubbard from PPD, and Jaleeysa King from Greenphire. We'll highlight some of the industry's biggest wins and opportunities to improve diverse representation in trials.  Plus, they'll share how they plan to partner with sites to meet the industry's diverse enrollment goals.

Join SCRS in welcoming Clinical ink to the Global Impact Partner (GIP) program! Syed Faridi, Senior Director of Business Development, and Lane Nichols, Executive Vice President, Head of Product, share why they decided to become a GIP and what they see for the future of their relationship with clinical research sites.

In this episode of SCRS Talks, we spoke with Jane Myles, VP of Clinical Trial Innovation at Curebase, a new Global Impact Partner. Jane shares what research sites should know about decentralized trial technology and some initiatives Curebase is working on that will impact sites.

The industry is currently facing unprecedented macroeconomic issues including substantial staffing challenges and inflationary pressures.  In response, SCRS formed a task force committee, which provides resources for both sites and industry to collaborate to address these issues.

David Vulcano, SCRS Honorary President and VP of Clinical Research Compliance & Integrity at HCA Healthcare speaks with William Smith, co-chair of the SCRS task force and CEO of Alliance Speciality Research and Jeff Kingsley, CEO of Centricity Research and task force member, to talk through what the committee is doing to mitigate these challenges and how our industry partners can help.

Holdback payments evolved as a way for industry sponsors and CROs to ensure that their clinical research sites were completing the necessary work throughout a trial. However, holdback payments have been a long-standing issue for sites. 

Vivienne van de Walle, co-founder of PreCare Trial & Recruitment, shares lessons learned from working with sponsors and CROs to eliminate this practice, and tips for sites to successfully negotiate to have their study costs covered.

The 2022 Australia-New Zealand Summit is quickly approaching! ANZ Summit chairs Cheryl-Ann Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer at Emeritus Research and Tam C. Nguyen, Deputy Director of Research at St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, share what they are most excited about for this year's Summit, sessions they are looking forward to, and how to maximize your experience. Learn more and register today at https://apsitesolutionssummit.com

The implementation of decentralized tools and technologies has drastically changed study start-up and training requirements that have placed an additional burden on clinical research sites. SCRS spoke with Todd Albin, CEO of Cedar Health Research to discuss how sites can prepare for these changes and ensure all industry stakeholders are working together to ensure efficiency and sustainability with technology in trials.

Patient-centricity has been a hot topic in clinical research. Recently the industry has realized that to truly be patient-centric, you must also be site-centric. Deena Bernstein, Vice President of Customer Success at Datacubed, discusses what it means to be site and participant centric in clinical trials and how to reduce the burden of technology for both patients and sites.

SCRS recently held its fourth annual Global Oncology Site Solutions Summit in Austin, Texas. It was an incredible two-day event with actionable insights and best practices specific to oncology clinical research. In this episode, we speak with Peter Fredette, a long-standing member of the SCRS Oncology program and our new Global Oncology Summit chair, to discuss some highlights from this year's conference and what we can expect for the future of the program.

The clinical research industry is currently seeing an unprecedented rise of sites facing financial burden due to increasing costs of staffing and supplies. Now more than ever, it's critical that sites learn what actions they can take to ensure they understand what they are agreeing to in clinical trial agreements and what flexibility they have. Daniel Fox, Ph.D., founder and CEO of the Clinical Research Payment Network,  shares what to look for in CTAs to ensure they are in the site's best interest and how to establish a mutual relationship of trust with industry partners.

Decentralized clinical trial (DCT) technology has the opportunity to create more effective, efficient, and accessible clinical trials. Now that research sites have more experience with these systems, we also have a better understanding of their challenges and opportunities. Craig Lipset, advisor and founder of Clinical Innovation Partners and co-chair of the Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance shares what the clinical trials industry has learned about DCTs and how we can move forward together.

Commemorating a decade since the organization's inception, SCRS spoke with one of our first clinical research site members, Richard Pollack with Evolution Research Group.  Dr. Pollack shines a light on how he was introduced to SCRS and some of his fond memories with the organization while reflecting on how the industry has changed.

Technology has the power to reduce the burden on overworked sites–but only if that technology is well-integrated. Catherine Gregor, Chief Clinical Trial Officer at Florence Healthcare, shares insights from her session at the 2022 Global Oncology Site Solutions Summit on challenges and opportunities with site-centric technology. Listen as Catherine shares how sites and Sponsors can ensure they are working together to develop mutually beneficial solutions.

SCRS is excited to welcome Transformative Pharmaceutical Solutions (TPS) to the Global Impact Partner program! Jeff Repper, Executive Vice President, and Kyle Given, EVP, Account Management share why their organization decided to become a GIP and how they want to work with clinical research sites and industry partners to improve the research experience for all.

Amanda Wright​, Chief Development Officer at Javara, a new SCRS Global Impact Partner, shares insights about integrated research organizations (IROs), clinical research as a care option, and how industry partnerships can streamline clinical trials. Learn what initiatives Javara is working on and why joining SCRS was a priority for their organization.

Medidata recently hosted a Site Advocacy Group (SAG) where SCRS member sites offered feedback on budgeting and payments for clinical trials. Tina Mincher, Director, Client Strategy, Clinical Trial Financial Management at Medidata and Edward Czerwinski, Senior Medical Director, FutureMeds, join us to discuss what was learned from a service provider and site perspective. Hear some of the top financial struggles for sites and how sites and industry partners can work together for better transparency with trial budgets and payments.

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) is celebrating 20 years since its inception. Doug Peddicord, Ph.D., Executive Director of ACRO, joins us to share his thoughts on some of the biggest changes in clinical research over the last two decades and how they have worked with SCRS through the years. Learn more about ACRO's session at the Global Site Solutions Summit and what role the site voice has in ACRO's important work.

SCRS is quickly approaching its annual Global Site Solutions Summit! This year the Summit will be extra special as we celebrate 10 years of advancing site success. Allyson Small, Chief Operating Officer of SCRS, and David Vulcano, SCRS Honorary President, share how attendees can make the most of their experience while highlighting some of the exciting additions planned for the Summit.  Don't miss what we have in store!

Danielle Mitchell, CEO and Founder of Black Women in Clinical Research, shares why she started her organization and how they are working to advance diversity in the clinical research industry. Tune in to hear about the panel session she will be participating in at the 2022 Global Site Solutions Summit and why she feels SCRS Summits are different from other industry conferences.

SCRS is excited to reunite with our European community in-person in Lisbon, Portugal this November! Viviënne van de Walle, co-founder of PT&R and SCRS European Site Solutions Summit chair, shares how clinical research has changed since we last hosted the European Summit in March of 2019 and some of the sessions she is most looking forward to this year.  Plus, learn how to maximize your experience at the Summit to ensure you leave with valuable takeaways and lasting connections. Learn more about the European Summit and register at eusitesolutionssummit.com.

Has your clinical research site thought about joining a site network? Mark Blumling, CEO and Founder of Headlands Research, shares what to expect when joining a network and how to prepare your site for acquisition. Mark also discusses how their site network approaches diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

What is the industry doing to address the issue of staffing challenges for clinical research sites? In this episode 2022 Site Tank winner, Kate Marusina, Ph.D., MBA, Director of the Clinical Trials Office of UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center, shares insights on their innovative program presented at the 2022 Global Site Solutions Summit. Learn more about Site Tank at https://sitesolutionssummit.com/site-tank/

Scott Gray, CEO of Clincierge, highlights statistics from an independent, IRB-approved survey of patients and caregivers regarding participation in clinical trials. Learn about the financial risks of patient dropouts and trial delays, plus practical strategies for making trial participation easier and encouraging patient retention. 

Mike Clay, Chief Operating Officer at Javara, joins us to share more information about the winning recruitment strategy his organization presented at the 2022 Global Site Solutions Summit for the Site Patient Recruitment Innovation Award (SPRIA). Mike discusses how Javara developed their idea, what recruitment methods had the most impact, and the value of collaboration for better community engagement.

CRAs have a notoriously difficult job in the clinical research landscape. Daniel Paucar, Manager, Strategic Site Networks, US EPON Operations Lead at IQVIA, joins us to share how the role has evolved over the past several years as well as the conveniences and challenges with remote monitoring. Hear Daniel's insight on how sites and CRAs can better work together for more efficient monitoring.

SCRS recently hosted the European Site Solutions Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, where speakers shared stories about how the conflict in Ukraine is impacting clinical trials and patients. Roman Fishchuk, Head of Clinical Trials Department at Central City Clinical Hospital in Ukraine, shares his perspective on the current status of clinical trials in Ukraine and how the war has affected them. 

DM Clinical Research, recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award, joins us to highlight some of the programs they put in place to earn the prestigious award.

Hera Arham, Director, Marketing & Patient Engagement at DM Clinical Research, shares how they identified the issues patients were facing, the practices they deployed, and advice for sites and industry partners that want to implement more patient-centric practices.

Nancy Trapp, Sr. Director, Field Management, North America Clinical Operations at Novo Nordisk, joins us to discuss why collaborating with clinical research sites is vital to her organization's success. Hear what Novo Nordisk is working on and how it will impact sites.

In honor of American Heart Month, we spoke with Dr. Michael Koren, Medical Director and CEO of ENCORE Research Group, as he shares his top tips for heart health – especially for busy professionals working in the clinical research industry. Dr. Koren also explores how cardiovascular research and treatment have progressed over the past several years as well as some exciting new learnings for this vital therapeutic area.

Most of us are aware of the telltale signs of heart disease in men. But what about women? Diana Reedie, Director, Clinic Management & Operations at LMC Healthcare and Vivienne van de Walle, Owner of PT&R, share their unique patient and physician perspectives on what women should know about cardiovascular disease. Listen as they highlight some of their personal experiences and advice as well as what the healthcare industry is still learning about women's heart health.

Ellen Price, Senior Director of Patient Experience for Velocity Clinical Research, discusses insights from a patient experience survey they conducted with thousands of clinical trial participants. Ellen shares how they gathered the data, some surprising responses, and how other sites can garner participant feedback.

Read the white paper for more survey insights at https://velocityclinical.com/news

Dr. Queen Adaugo Ohandjo, Patient Advocate and Consultant with Proof Clinical Research, discusses how operational efficiencies at the clinical research site level can enable patient engagement and better patient outcomes. Learn how clinical trials can be designed to be more inclusive for diverse patients and how industry partners can support sites in these efforts to ensure successful trial outcomes.

Read more on this topic from Dr. Adaugo Ohandjo in the SCRS InFocus Newsletter.

Unfunded, yet essential, study activities are a longstanding problem for the sustainability of studies and clinical research sites. These types of invoiceables, often called hidden costs, are typically not accounted for in the study budgeting process which can be detrimental to long-term site sustainability.  In this episode, David Vulcano, Honorary President, SCRS and Chris Hoyle, Executive Director, Elite Research Network, share information about the SCRS Site Invoiceables Toolkit created to help sites understand common billable items that a site should consider when assessing costs associated with a clinical trial. 

SCRS Oncology Program participants Peter Fredette, Director, Clinical Partnerships Liaison with EQRx and Dan Otap, Principal, Alliance and Partnerships Lead at Genentech share information about helpful oncology resources for sites as well as some exciting new topics they are looking forward to discussing at this year's Global Oncology Site Solutions Summit.

If your site participates in oncology research, be sure to make your voice heard in the Oncology Site Landscape Survey today!

SCRS is hosting the second annual Diversity Site Solutions Summit in a few short weeks! Jackie Kent, VP of Strategy and Special Projects and Diversity with SCRS, and Kim Ribeiro, Head of Diversity & Patient Inclusion at AbbVie and co-chair of the SCRS Diversity Awareness Program discuss why an event like this is important for the industry, what makes this year's Summit different, and some of the exciting sessions to look forward to.  

In this episode, we are proud to highlight our 2022 Eagle Award sponsor recipient,  Merck. Jennifer Sheller, AVP, Clinical Trial Operations Leader with Merck discusses some of the site-focused programs her organization put in motion to earn the award and their plans to progress those initiatives. Jennifer also discusses Merck's response to the SCRS Open Letter to Industry Partners on sites' workforce and inflationary challenges, and what they took away from the SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit.

The SCRS Digital Innovation Initiative decentralized trials workstream recently released a Best Practices and Recommendations for Site Participation on Decentralized Trials guide. Deena Bernstein, Vice President Customer Success at Datacubed Health , and Karen McIntyre, Senior Director, Patient Innovation Centre at Parexel, share how this resource was developed and how sites can utilize it effectively. 

We'll also discuss what should sites consider before initiating a trial with decentralized elements, and advice for sites that may be hesitant to engage these types of technologies.

Todd Albin, Chief Executive Officer, Cedar Health Research, joins us to discuss a trend many clinical research sites have been experiencing with their budget and CTA negotiations with sponsors.

This episode will highlight how this practice impacts site sustainability, as well as our studies and our patients, and some ways sites and sponsors can come to a mutually beneficial solution.

 Access the SCRS Site Invoiceables Toolkit at myscrs.org/site-invoiceables-toolkit.

What is the best way for clinical research sites to find new trials and establish productive industry relationships? Scott Whitt, General Manager of Triad Clinical Trials, discusses business development best practices that have worked for his site, and how sites can develop strategic industry alliances.

Andrew Kimball, Executive Vice President of Strategic Commercial Relationships at Velocity Clinical Research, highlights the growth and initiatives of his organization, which is currently the largest dedicated research site organization in the world. Andrew also shares insight on Velocity's acquisition of Meridian Clinical Research and the benefits of joining a site network.

Taneen Hisgrove, Executive Director, Sites and Patients Center of Excellence at PPD, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, discusses the site-focused initiatives and programs PPD implemented to earn the 2022 Eagle Award CRO of choice. Taneen shares what receiving the Eagle award means to PPD, takeaways from the Global Summit, and what her organization's focus will be for 2023 and beyond.

In this episode, we focus on the challenges facing the clinical research industry when it comes to hiring and retaining clinical research coordinators. Over the past few years, the industry has seen a noticeable decrease in available clinical research staff, making it imperative for sites to find new ways to attract and train new talent.

To address this need, Susan Landis, Executive Director of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), shared more information about ACRP's Early Talent Training Program, which aims to create onramps for the clinical research profession. 

Kelly, Clark, Head of US Partnerships and Global Site Development from Merck, also discusses the industry's focus on improving diversity within the clinical research profession with the OneTen program, which enables more diverse individuals to enter the research profession.

Join us as we discuss how sites and industry partners can collaborate to develop the next generation of diverse staff.

In this episode, we explore the growing trend of remote clinicians and mobile services in the clinical research landscape. IQVIA has been at the forefront of this trend, and we sit down with Eric Neeley, PhD, PMP Senior Director Research Nursing & Phlebotomy Solutions, to discuss what's working, what still needs work, and what to expect from this emerging field.

Eric also shares their learnings from operationalizing this service and how they handle oversight of protocol deviations, which can be a higher risk in decentralized clinical trials.

In this episode, we're excited to chat about the inaugural SCRS West: Clinical Tech & Innovation Summit coming up in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ramy Nassar, Founder + Managing Partner, 1000 Days Out, and Karri Venn, COO, Centricity Research explore why an event like this is crucial for the clinical trial industry and what attendees can expect.  Ramy and Karri also share how the industry can collaborate to have more site-focused technology solutions and the importance of sites sharing their experiences with clinical technology in an open, collaborative way.

We are thrilled to welcome ProofPilot to the Global Impact Partner (GIP) program! In this episode, Bernadette Tosti, Chief Product Officer at ProofPilot, discusses the importance of listening to site voices in advancing and streamlining clinical research. Bernadette also provides insights into ProofPilot's initiatives and programs and shares how these efforts will impact clinical trial sites. 

In this episode, we explore how to strengthen the relationship between sponsors and CROs and the sites they work with. Mike Wenger, CEO & Founder, VersaTrial, highlights how a single point of contact can help to resolve many bottlenecks.

We also examine how technology can enable this relationship to be more efficient, including the benefits of investing in technology that is "site-ready" and advice for sponsors and CROs looking to make technological investments.

Finally, we delve into why the current CRA model isn't working to achieve the goals of a single point of contact, and what's in it for the sponsor/CRO to prioritize a new approach.

At this year’s Diversity Site Solutions Summit, SCRS hosted a variety of breakout discussions covering important topics to enable diversity, equity, inclusion and access in clinical trials. Today we’re highlighting some of the takeaways from one of those breakouts, which focused on successful patient recruitment and engagement strategies. Hear from Adrelia Allen from Merck, Deena Bernstein with Datacubed Health, Lacey Clements of IMA Clinical Research and Brittane Strahan from BEKHealth as they share the biggest takeaways and lessons learned from the discussions at the Summit.

Cheryl-Ann Hawkins, COO, Emeritus Research & Tam Nguyen, Deputy Director of Research, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne share what topics they are looking forward to discussing at this year's Australia-New Zealand Site Solutions Summit! Hear how to prepare in advance and engage in meaningful networking, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration.

Brandon Doyle, Associate Director, Site Alliances SME Global Site Diversity Strategy, Parexel & Garo Kiledjian, COO, Trialogic – both cofounders of SGM Alliance – recently hosted a panel discussion at the SCRS Diversity Summit on the unique challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community in clinical research. Listen as they share insights on antiquated and discriminatory exclusion criteria in trials and how the industry can work together to be more inclusive to this community.

We sit down with Jeffrey Smyth, President and Executive Director of TrueBlue Clinical Research, to discuss the critical aspects of building strong clinical research teams and establishing your company culture.  Learn how and why to hire based on personality and skills as well as the importance of effective leadership. Jeffrey will also share tips and strategies for building trust and competency among new team members and how to manage remote/hybrid teams.

This episode highlights a remarkable panel discussion from the SCRS Global Oncology Summit featuring Jennifer L. Hoffman, Patient Engagement Lead, Patient-Informed Development and Health Value Translation with Sanofi and Terri Conneran, Founder and Director, KRAS Kickers.

Explore how patient perspectives have influenced the design and implementation of clinical trials, leading to tangible improvements in patient outcomes and satisfaction. Hear their inspiring stories and work as champions of patient voices in the pursuit of better healthcare for all.

A “good” budget can make or break a trial’s success, especially with rising operational costs. How are sites effectively managing budgets amidst economic uncertainties?

Bouchra Rucker, Local Study Associate Director, Oncology at AstraZeneca, shares strategies for sites to successfully enhance their budgets, adapt to inflation, and negotiate with sponsors effectively.

In this episode, we explore the transition from EHR (Electronic Health Records) to EDC (Electronic Data Capture) and its implications for healthcare professionals and patients alike. Dan Braga, Vice President of Product Management and Digital Health Solutions at Medidata Solutions, shares how patients, healthcare providers, researchers, and the healthcare industry as a whole gain from the seamless integration of these technologies. Learn about the roadblocks faced by the industry and why this groundbreaking transformation has taken time to reach its full potential.

Meet one of SCRS' newest Global Impact Partners, YPrime. YPrime is an eClinical systems provider offering cloud-based systems such as interactive response technology (IRT), electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) and eConsent. 

Mike Hughes, Chief Product Officer at YPrime, shares why they became a GIP, as well as what's next for the organization and their collaboration with sites.

Join Val Torres, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Partnerships Officer of Health Data For Good, as he shares how his organization is committed to addressing the complex healthcare needs of underserved communities. How are industry stakeholders working together to improve health equity and accelerate access to life-changing cures and treatments? Discover the power of collaboration and partnership as key principles driving Health Data For Good's mission. 

Ashley Margo, Sponsor CRA & Co-Founder of Latinos in Clinical Research (LCR), shares how her organization is supporting the Latinx community within the clinical research field. Learn about LCR's industry collaborations to promote representation and participation of underrepresented populations in the research profession, as well as the organization's goals and progress so far. 

Technology integration and implementation remain challenging for many sites. We explored these topics further at SCRS West, where Lauren Stockwell, Director of Outreach & Engagement at Clinical Research Fastrack, participated in a panel on site-level technology integration and implementation.

This episode dives into key takeaways from that session, including how to identify the right solutions, manage change and train staff. 

What's in store for the upcoming SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit this October? Get ready to "Ignite the Possibilities" as we share the inspiration behind this year's Summit theme of what it means for our community.

Whether you're a seasoned attendee or gearing up for your first SCRS Summit, this episode is your gateway to the excitement, innovation, and boundless opportunities that await. We've got you covered with essential tips to make the most of your experience!

Tune in to discover proven best practices that research sites can adopt to optimize their technology budgets. Kristin Surdam, Sr. Director, KOL & Strategy at Florence Healthcare, shares how these strategies not only ensure better resource allocation but also drive efficient research operations. Hear lessons learned from SCRS West: Clinical Tech & Innovation Summit, including strategies for sites and industry partners to overcome technology hurdles and ensure accurate financial planning in trials.

In a world where the demand for qualified research professionals is on the rise, training programs play a pivotal role in expanding and diversifying the talent pool. Kunal D. Patel,  Medical Director at iheed, will shed light on their recently launched Master of Science in Clinical Research program and how training programs are helping expand the clinical research workforce. 

As sites navigate technology changes and advancements within the industry, they have to make important decisions about what solutions to adopt and how. What are common challenges that sites face when integrating new technologies? Lilith Hayakawa Mist, Executive Clinical Research Director at Merck, raises important considerations for sites with technology implementation, as discussed in a panel session at SCRS West.

Victor Lopes, VP of Medical Operations and Interim Head of Global Site Network at Accelerated Enrollment Solutions (AES) provides a glimpse into AES' mission and values, emphasizing their commitment to improving clinical trials globally. Hear about the vital work of AES' site enrollment optimization teams and valuable advice on fostering mutually beneficial collaborations. 

Joan Chambers, CEO of Greater Gift, shares insights on their mission to raise awareness about clinical trials, especially among underrepresented communities.

Hear how Greater Gift uniquely honors clinical trial participants through donations to positively impact patient retention and engagement. 

Joan also highlights the importance of partnerships and upcoming projects that are driving their mission forward.

Piotr Sawicki, SCRS European Summit chair, discusses why this event is a must-attend for global clinical research professionals. Hear about the sessions attendees can look forward to this year and listen in for essential tips to make the most of your experience.

Join us for the 2023 European Site Solutions Summit being held from 13-14 November 2023 in Cascais, Portugal.

Jess Thompson shares her journey in clinical research project management, shedding light on the mission of the Association of Clinical Research Project Managers (ACRPM) and its global support for professionals in the field.

Jess outlines key aspects that research sites and the industry need to understand about clinical research project management and its impact on fostering innovation and excellence in healthcare practices. 

 After working in the clinical research industry for decades, Jim Kremidas unexpectedly found himself on the other side – as a patient searching for a trial. Despite Jim's extensive experience and vast network, finding a trial proved more difficult than expected. 

Many of us have not experienced a clinical trial from the patient's point of view. This enlightening episode discusses Jim's perspective as a trial participant, as well as advice for both patients and research professionals on how we can streamline participation in trials.

Explore the ramifications of inflation and higher staff attrition  on the clinical research industry based on IQVIA's recent whitepaper, 'The Impact Of High Inflation And The Great Resignation On Clinical Site Budgeting.' 

Sharon Gordon, former Director of Cost Benchmarking and Site Contracts, Trial Design & Site Engagement, and Morgan King, Manager of Data Analytics and Services at IQVIA Technologies share findings on escalating site costs over the past three years, as well as IQVIA's data collection process and evolving benchmarking strategies. Tune in to hear how sites and sponsors can work together to navigate fair market value negotiations amidst rising costs.  

Kip McKenzie, CEO of Tekton Research, shares the organization's evolution from a single site to a network of 25 sites, highlighting their commitment to professionalism and growth within the clinical research landscape. 

Kip discusses the significance of site voices in driving successful clinical trials and their innovative personnel development strategies and highlights the Tekton University learning management system. Gain insights into their effective engagement with local universities for workforce development and goals for continued collaboration with the clinical research community.

Dr. Nadine Barrett, a medical sociologist, health disparities researcher, and President-elect of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), joins us to discuss her remarkable journey and commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in cancer research. Dr. Barrett outlines her top priorities with ACCC, focusing on increasing diversity in oncology research and fostering honest, authentic community engagement. Be inspired by Dr. Barrett's transformative vision and work to enable more inclusive and accessible oncology research and care.

This special episode spotlights Merck's site-focused initiatives and work that contributed to its designation as the 2023 SCRS Eagle Award sponsor of choice. Jennifer Sheller, VP & Head of Clinical Sites, Data Management & Quality discusses Merck's commitment to increasing trial access, supporting the next generation of research staff, and improving site-centricity. 

Andrea Chial, co-founder and COO of AlzWell, showcases their innovative AI platform for clinical trial matching which received the 2023 SCRS Site Tank Award. Hear the impact of streamlining site operations and helpful advice for sites interested in AI or technology implementation.  

Todd Albin, CEO of Cedar Health Research, discusses the groundbreaking recruitment strategy that earned them the SCRS Site Patient Innovation Recruitment Award (SPRIA). Hear Cedar Health's integration of technology to pre-identify eligible patients in healthcare practices for a challenging study. 

Albin emphasizes their comprehensive approach to diversity, highlighting the success of engaging diverse communities through a dedicated task force. Explore the synergy between site and industry partnerships and Cedar Health's plans for the future, focusing on optimizing technology, enhancing outreach, and improving diversity initiatives. 

Carlos Orantes, CEO of Alcanza Clinical Research,  shares insights into modern-day budgets and payments at the site level and discusses the challenges faced by sites, including holdbacks and delayed payment terms.

Carlos delves into the complexities of financial planning for sites, discussing the differences between revenue projections and cash flow forecasts. Carlos also provides valuable strategies for sites to encourage on-time payments, emphasizing clear communication, negotiation of payment terms, and accuracy in invoicing.

Ethan Seville, Manager of Customer Engagement and Strategic Solutions at Slope, 
sheds light on the formidable challenges clinical research sites encounter with sample management. Tune in as we discuss the importance of proactive advocacy, crafting effective SOPs, and fostering inter-site collaboration. Ethan also explores evolving trends and changes in sample management and the exciting potential for future innovations in the field.

Join us as we explore how AbbVie is turning feedback into action, introducing process efficiencies and enhancing communication with site partners. Sasha Tyndale, Director of Patient Engagement and Inclusion Solutions at AbbVie,  shares valuable insights and actions taken from AbbVie's annual global site feedback survey.  Hear about AbbVie's dedication to being a responsive and collaborative sponsor and how they are fostering stronger site partnerships. 

David Vulcano, Vice President of Research Compliance at HCA Healthcare and Honorary President of SCRS, discusses the challenges clinical research sites face in document storage and record retention amid evolving regulations. Hear considerations for sponsors pushing record storage obligations onto sites, advising them to listen to sites' concerns and avoid binding contracts. David also provides insights for sites as well as solutions for sponsors, CROs and sites to move forward with record retention needs.

Peter Fredette, VP of Research Services at Outcomes Matter Innovations, and Jolee Holt, Director of Oncology Site Community, Optimal Research at PPD, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, give you a sneak peek into the  SCRS Oncology Site Solutions Summit. Peter and Jolee share insights into what attendees can expect, exciting new topics and speakers you won't want to miss, and how to maximize your experience. Join us at the Oncology Summit to share your experience and tackle challenges in oncology clinical research.

Take the Oncology Landscape Survey today.

Michele Cameron, Director of Clinical Research at Clearwater Cardiovascular Consultants, and Lindsey Morales, Associate Director of Clinical Site Partnerships at Gilead Sciences, share insights from a recent SCRS survey on clinical research site workforce challenges.

Learn about the significant turnover rates for patient-facing staff and obstacles in recruiting and training new coordinators. Lindsey and Michele share actionable steps for the industry to better support site partners, including addressing site fatigue, communication transparency, and collaboration.

Download the Workforce Task Force Toolkit available to SCRS members.

Nick Spittal, Chief Operations Officer at Velocity Clinical Research, and Pat Roselle, Global Head of Patient Stakeholder Engagement at Sanofi are here to celebrate Velocity's win of the 2023 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award sponsored by Sanofi. Hear insights from Velocity and Sanofi on the importance of patient-centricity and the initiatives that led to this award. Plus, we'll explore the future goals of both Sanofi and Velocity in advancing clinical research with a patient-focused approach.

Hear the award-winning community engagement strategy of Ascension St. John Clinical Research Institute as Stacie Merritt and Dr. Jane Bryce share insights on their successful approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical research. Discover how their innovative BRIDGE framework, commitment to health literacy, and continuous presence have led to meaningful results within their community. Tune in for valuable advice on overcoming diversity recruitment challenges and fostering collaboration with industry partners for more inclusive clinical trials.

Hear from Dr. Otis Johnson, Co-Founder of Trial Equity Group, as we explore the critical issue of patient diversity in clinical trials. Dr. Johnson discusses the alarming underrepresentation revealed in recent research, and shares how Trial Equity is addressing this gap. Join the conversation to uncover the impact of diverse recruitment on trial efficiency, the positive trends in technology, and the future of inclusive clinical research.

Karen McIntyre, Vice President of Site Alliances at Parexel, shares the impact and initiatives that contributed to their earning of the coveted SCRS Eagle Award in 2023. Hear valuable advice for industry organizations aspiring to build successful relationships with sites through the power of communication, trust, and shared goals. Karen also sheds light on Parexel's strategies to continually enhance and expand its site-focused efforts. 

In this episode, explore the extraordinary journey of Kits4Life with Lori Warrens, Director of the MedSurplus Alliance. Kits4Life is a cross-sector initiative developed by the clinical research community to repurpose clinical trial supplies, lab kits, and equipment to close the healthcare gap worldwide. Lori shares the program's inspiring growth and impact on a global scale, from its humble beginnings to becoming a driving force in healthcare sustainability. Gain insights into the challenges faced, the value of industry collaborations, and the program's role in fostering a sustainable future.

Hear the inspiring story of Larry Falivena, an ALS patient advocate, who shares his journey through his ALS diagnosis and navigating clinical trials. Larry's diagnosis in 2017 marked a profound shift in his life, prompting him to cherish each moment and advocate for ALS awareness. Despite the grim prognosis, Larry's engagement in clinical trials offers hope for ALS patients. Hear the emotional and logistical hurdles often faced by ALS patients in accessing and engaging with clinical trials and how the industry can improve the patient experience. 

As we reflect on his journey, Larry's insights inspire us to collectively improve patient outcomes by overcoming barriers to trial participation. His story highlights the critical role of patient involvement in research and the need for accessible trials.

Anne-Marie Baughn, Director of Business Development with RxTrials, shares the invaluable benefits of strategic partnerships and volunteering in the clinical research industry. Anne-Marie sheds light on RxTrials' unique approach to empowering smaller research sites, emphasizing quality in study conduct and research site management over sheer size. 

Dawn Strelow and Vinita Navadgi from IQVIA Technologies explore how the clinical research industry is revolutionizing patient consent. Dawn, the Associate Director of Client Engagement, and Vinita, the Senior Director of the Digital Patient Suite, discuss the nuances of eConsent and challenges faced by clinical research sites, including practical solutions and steps for successful eConsent adoption. 

Joseph Kim, Chief Strategy Officer at ProofPilot, shares the challenges and triumphs of implementing innovation in the clinical research field. Joseph highlights lessons learned and insights from ProofPilot's Innovation Playbook on the importance of problem-solving and collaborative value creation. Discover practical tips for finding funds, navigating tight timelines, and bringing innovation to life! 

Hear from Dr. Lestter Cruz Serrano, the Global Head of Medical Affairs at Cognizant Health Sciences Group, as he shares the intricacies of site advocacy in clinical research. Discover how Cognizant's Shared Investigator Platform (SIP) has evolved over the past four years to address challenges faced by clinical research sites. Utilizing insights from an SCRS Site Advocacy Group (SAG), Cognizant shares the impactful enhancements made to SIP based on valuable site feedback. Gain insights into the future of SIP and the role of sites in driving its innovation.

Learn how dynamic benchmarks are shaping the future of clinical trial finances, offering adaptability, transparency, and stronger relationships between sponsors, CROs, and research sites. Shelley Douros, the Senior Director of Clinical Trial Financial Management, and Tina Mincher, the Director of Client Strategy at Medidata share their revolutionary CAP approach (Committed, Anticipated, and Projected) that is transforming how budgets are approached. Tune in to learn how to ensure fair market value and foster better collaboration with clinical research site partners.

Jillian Agnew, Senior Clinical Research Nurse at St. Johns Center for Clinical Research, shares insights on the power of personal connections in keeping trial participants engaged. From navigating trial fatigue to overcoming protocol challenges, hear the nuances of patient interactions that shape the success of long-term trials. Tune in to learn how to foster meaningful connections to create lasting participant retention and engagement.