Creating a Patient-Centric Environment for Decentralized Clinical Trials

Rob Laurens
Chief Patient Officer

We’ve always embraced a “no patient, no site left behind” philosophy, which was critical during COVID-19 and now critical for decentralized clinical trials. Our solutions are always tailored to the study design. If a particular solution, such as home health visits or telehealth, is not culturally appropriate in a region or perhaps not supported by a principal investigator, we make recommendations for alternate solutions to ensure the greatest opportunity for inclusion.

Our concierge specialists know the variables that can affect each disease state and can anticipate patient and site needs, saving sponsors time, energy and expense while ensuring full support for study participants.

Anthony Gaudio
Lead Concierge

One of the biggest things that strikes me is increased site burden. Study coordinators are being asked to do a number of things that go beyond the standard patient study visit, including juggling multiple systems and services. Many of their new responsibilities have come about quickly, often leaving little time for training.

As concierge specialists, my team and I do as much as we can to alleviate site burden. Our services run the gamut from coordinating complex travel and medication delivery to managing reimbursement and referrals. Our support is nuanced — we don’t just offer travel, but we assess the entire environment to ensure all needs are met. This can mean anything from providing a translator or ensuring a vehicle is wheelchair accessible to securing a visa or arranging for additional support services for an extended stay. However, our goal always remains the same — to remove site burden and create connections that drive enrollment and engagement.

Another concern I see is the challenge to maintain human connection. The very nature of decentralized clinical trials makes it difficult to maintain the connections that drive patient engagement. We counter this with our patient support services that create meaningful engagement at key touchpoints along the patient journey.

The remote nature of decentralized clinical trials can make it difficult to maintain the human connection that drives patient engagement. Our concierge service delivery models what it means to be patient-centric in a decentralized clinical trial environment. The nuances of our services, combined with our delivery, create those important connections that drive engagement.

Anthony Gaudio
Lead Concierge

It does so by putting the patient experience at the center of what we do. Our Engagement Solution Center anticipates what is needed to support each patient in each trial. Our concierge delivery is supportive and recognizes that each situation may need a different solution depending on a number of variables. We work to fulfill patient and site needs, but we also anticipate what future needs may arise depending on the nature of a disease or the patient’s condition.

We recognize the impact technology can have on creating a more convenient patient experience, but we cannot ignore empathy and the importance of human connection.

We’re focused on clearing the way for patients to achieve study-life balance by removing barriers that compete for their time and energy. By leveraging patient-centric solutions — delivered with empathy and care — we can enhance the patient experience in the broadest way possible.