Blog Post
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the clinical trial landscape in ways that we couldn’t have imagined three years ago. It has also brought to light key training challenges – and helped our industry embrace technology-enabled innovation to help overcome those obstacles.
How important is study training? In a recent WCG survey of clinical research sites, 67% of sites said that having “professional, knowledgeable and well-trained monitors/CROs was very important to success.” At the same time, 70% of sites say that “CRAs are not well-trained and are unequipped and unprepared to perform trials.” Also, 68% of sites say they encounter problems because “there is no communication from the sponsor.”
Clearly, study training is vital to success and can benefit from modernization. Let’s explore three training challenges that clinical study teams face, along with solutions provided by on-demand virtual training.
1. Site Burdens
Sites face challenges around having appropriate training for each team and each study. Traditional training approaches take way too long and are difficult to coordinate. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, sites faced the additional challenge of team members working remotely. No longer can cumbersome in-person training fill the bill in this fast-paced, work-from-home environment.
WCG InvestigatorSpace® virtual training eases site burdens and streamlines communication among sites, CROs and sponsors. On-demand, online training modules are customized and readily available for each study and each team. Sites also have the option of face-to-face meetings via video conferencing to complement on-demand training modules. Training is consistent, flexible, user-friendly and fully documented, allowing teams to be prepared and confident while study directors achieve total transparency.
2. Study Amendments
Study amendments present another challenge in clinical trials. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, sponsors couldn’t get amendments to teams fast enough in paper format. It is essential for study teams to be up to date with changes in the study conduct and to feel that there is a reliable, fast means of communication from the sponsor.
With InvestigatorSpace training, users can go online to check amendments. These study amendments are quickly incorporated into the training modules, so teams can be more reliable and accurate in doing their jobs. The result is a decrease in time-consuming and costly deviations plus closer synchronization among stakeholders.
3. Study Timing
Another training challenge is timing. The study leader must coordinate and document training for all people at all study sites. They must judge if enough sites are up to begin education. It is challenging to find the perfect time to host face-to-face investigator meetings to ensure effective training in the traditional, in-person model. Also, organizations face the challenge of addressing staff turnover. They need an efficient approach to bring new team members up to speed and ensure continuity of training across study teams.
With InvestigatorSpace, study training is available earlier-helping clients gain an average of 55 trial enrollment days- and is then accessible any time for review. Early sites can begin training and get started enrolling participants, then take part in virtual meetings as schedules allow. Teams can always revisit training modules as needed, and new team members can access training at any time.
Study leaders enjoy greater flexibility, saving time and money-cutting training costs by 60%-with complete training documentation. This transparency also ensures inspection readiness – providing 100% auditability and traceability – and decreases audit risks.
Want to learn more about how WCG InvestigatorSpace can help you address the challenges associated with your study training? Visit our website to learn more.
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