In recent years, digital technologies have transformed numerous aspects of the healthcare system. When it comes to clinical trials, digital health technologies offer feasible solutions to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of research.
Clinical research trials are often burdened by slow enrollment, high costs, repetitive procedures, and other patient variables. To maximize the value of trials, the healthcare industry needs to reconfigure the way clinical research is conducted. Solutions that offer an improved participant experience and more efficient measuring techniques are the best bet. Digital technologies offer a way to accelerate clinical trials outside of research sites. The result is user-friendly enrollment with reduced time and cost factors. Here’s a closer look at how digitalization is shaping the future of clinical trials.
Electronic Health Records
Students of a clinical research program will gain knowledge and insight into the most recent developments in the clinical research, pharmacovigilance, and regulatory affairs field. Among these developments, Electronic Health Records (eHRS) are taking clinical trials by storm. Electronic Health Records are digital versions of a patient’s health chart that can be used to target, recruit, and screen prospective patients.
Electronic health records compile patient data in a digital file
Electronic Health Records support clinical research by:
- Prioritizing data for recording
- Supporting hypothesis testing
- Evaluating potential trials
- Screening population
- Increasing patient recruitment
With the uptake of Electronic Health Records, the increased amount of data available is likely to expand the capacity of clinical research.
Digital Data Recording
Digital devices are increasingly being used for recording patient data. Wearables are electronic devices that are worn by trial subjects to collect data automatically. By allowing real-time data monitoring over longer periods of time, wearables offer more accurate and detailed data sets.
For many years, clinical research trials have been hindered by time and travel commitments. The burden of clinical trial participation has deterred a number of prospective patients. Similarly, professionals with clinical research training are often tasked with carrying out repetitive practices that reduce the overall efficiency of the trial. With digital data sources, decentralized trials are on the rise, reducing the burden of on-site activity. Subjects can take part in a trial with minimal interference to their daily life. In that sense, wearables offer a patient-centric solution to improve the recruitment and retention of trial subjects. With sufficient patient enrolment, trials can obtain a more valuable pool of data that is worth the time and money spent.
Professionals with clinical research training can benefit from the cost and time efficiency of wearables
Benefits of Digitalization Explained for Those in Clinical Research Training
The healthcare industry is making steady leaps towards a future of digital clinical trials. By harnessing digital technology, we can improve the process of gathering clinical trial data for both the patient and the clinician. The benefits of digitalization include:
- Reduction of costs for maintaining on-site activities
- User-friendly participation
- More support for study teams
- More efficient remote monitoring
Digitalization improves the process of gathering clinical trial data for both patient and clinician
Emerging technologies represent a transformative approach to improve the efficiency of clinical trials, reducing the burden for both research teams and study participants. Digital trials improve access for prospective participants, while enabling clinicians to perform more intensive studies without the need for greater resources.
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