The Technology Headlines DEMAND FORCASTING & AI | Page 21

THE TECHNOLOGY HEADLINES
Documentation Practices) need to be understood and reimagined
for the digital environment. The common practice of correcting
a questionnaire in an analog environment (initials date and
crossed out data) may not translate directly into the digital world
(Fields editable for a set window of time- how long? who can
edit? when? with an audit trail).
Learning Curve: In adopting a new technology, the learning
curve is inevitable. The cost of the learning curve cannot be
easily assessed- but will certainly be measured in frustration,
retention, disengagement, and ultimately lost time and
money. It is further important not to lose site of the site staff
in this respect- they suffer along with the rest of us. A final
consideration is the patient’s learning curve. A poorly rendered
or executed endpoint could jeopardize the entire trial.
Change Management: A detailed discussion is best left to
the shelves of leadership books on the topic; however an
organization approaching a new technology should have a
strategy to manage and implement change without destroying
the business culture of the team.
Boiling it all Down
As a sponsor, the decision to outsource is an evaluation of risk
and cost, and ultimately comes down to a decision by feel. The
quantitative discussion centers around the actual cost of goods
& services and the attendant FTEs for process management; on
the other side of the scale weighs the qualitative concerns that
will drive lag and trial failure- including the energy involved
in change management, the impact of poor technical interface
& customer service upon enrollment and patient engagement/
retention, the potential turnover of contracted expertise and the
personal/political costs of failure.
AUGUST 2019
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An organization approaching a new technology should
have a strategy to manage and implement change without
destroying the business culture of the team
As a vendor, the proposal that includes a novel application or
new technology can be a thorny path. While the advantages
to new technologies seem straightforward (in this example,
streamlined workload, minimized FTE associated with
monitoring/data management- not to mention the excitement
of a new challenge, a resume builder and the offering that tips
the bid to your favor) the risks are different. Learning new
technology amongst conflicting demands, friction from sites and
sponsor can lead to burn out, hurt the business’s reputation and
sacrifice future projects. In the case of subcontracted vendors,
the full service vendor may lose out completely if the technology
supplier fails.
Partnering
In this environment, partnering with an outsourced technology
vendor is the only safe way forward. The technology supplier
embraces the role of teacher and implementer; the sponsor acts
as facilitator between customer and technology vendor. Open
communication and trust is a mandatory.
Being partners, however, also means risk sharing. One
approach is to include a plan B and a set milestone to switch
when a technology does not deliver, or disenchants customers
(patients and doctors) with an agreement that shares the cost
of implementation. Other shareable risks include employee
retention planning, patient recruitment management, and
penalties for missed timelines attributable to service failure.
Conclusion
There is no one solution. However, risk can be minimized when
both the sponsor and provider commit to open communication;
full discussions about process and problem solving; embrace
learning and change; and share a definition of success.
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