If you missed DPharm 2024, you also missed watching a live matchmaking event with Nichole Gallatti, our clinical research site representative, looking for her Sponsor of Choice. Her options? A Sponsor panel of two eligible bachelorettes and one bachelor from the pharmaceutical industry. Hidden behind a divider, each Sponsor had to field questions from our damsel from the site to help alleviate her perennial struggles in conducting industry-sponsored clinical research. As Nichole put it, "It's cold. It's lonely out there." Navigating the complexities of clinical trials can indeed feel isolating, especially when you’ve been kissing many frogs along the way!
Meet the Contestants
We had three impressive candidates representing well-known pharmaceutical companies: Steven Ruhmel from Sanofi, Marie Emms from BMS, and Nicole Sheetz from Gilead. Each had unique insights to offer, addressing the challenges Nichole faces as she navigates various technologies and portals.
Tackling the Tech Overload
Nichole kicked off her questioning with a common frustration: the overwhelming number of technologies and the burden of remembering what to do next.
· Bachelorette #1 reassured her that while they don’t have a magic solution, they’re making strides in centralizing access to all these platforms, reducing the chaos and detective work.
· Bachelorette #2 had a practical suggestion: exploring partnerships with companies that specialize in and focus on simplifying processes for sites.
· Bachelor #3 emphasized the importance of hearing first from Nichole, to see what she specifically wants, ensuring solutions are tailored to her needs.
It was clear that each contestant recognized tech proliferation was a problem and was keen on improving it.
Protocols, Manuals, and Slide Decks, Oh My!
Moving to the next question, Nichole expressed her struggles with the myriad manuals that sponsors provide, making it difficult to execute the study and shaking patient confidence. Each contestant had thoughtful responses, emphasizing the need for centralization, ease of access and most importantly, integrating all the instructions into one sequenced flow. They all agreed that when site conduct runs smoothly, patient confidence also soars.
Digital Health
The conversation then turned to the latest challenge that has arrived on the scene: managing wearables and device inventory.
· Bachelorette #1 proposed a "Bring Your Own Device" approach, empowering both sites and patients to use familiar technology.
· Bachelorette #2 echoed the need for enhanced, just-in-time training and support, as well as a direct-to-patient model to eliminate site burden.
· Bachelor #3 introduced a “white glove service” concept, offering personalized, high-touch support.
Call Me, Maybe?
As time ticked away, Nichole launched into a rapid-fire round, tackling the issue of managing patient calls during recruitment, which is dragged down by phone tag. The responses were both creative and practical: from enabling a call scheduling feature, to deploying a patient-centered call center, to a concierge service that centralizes all patient needs in one spot. It was a series of common sense ideas proving that by first addressing the most common pain point in all of patient recruitment - phone tag - can we only really start to innovate in this space.
The Verdict: Everyone Wins!
As the panel concluded, it became clear that all contestants brought valuable insights to the table and were serious about addressing these challenges to improve the site experience. Nichole ultimately decided she couldn’t choose just one sponsor; she declared all three as winners in her eyes. This outcome highlighted the collaborative spirit within the industry—one that emphasizes working together to enhance the clinical trial experience.
Think You’re Out of Her League?
If you’re intrigued by how these challenges can be met head-on, ProofPilot’s suite of products has been purpose-built to address each and every one of these challenges so that anyone can be a “Sponsor of Choice.” Are you ready to become the partner sites are looking for? Get in touch with us to learn more!