8 Ways Research Management Software Improves Study Outcomes

When conducting clinical research, every detail matters, and the sheer volume of minutia bogs down researchers and slows the research process. From tracking patient data to managing regulatory compliance, researchers find themselves juggling too many responsibilities. 

Clinical study software helps researchers spend less time on administrative overhead and more time on what truly matters: improving patient outcomes and advancing medical knowledge.

Here are 11 ways that research management software streamlines clinical trial operations and improves study outcomes:

1. Enhanced data management and analysis
2. Easier compliance with protocols and regulatory requirements
3. Improved participant management
4. Better team collaboration
5. Reduced costs
6. More efficient decision-making
7. Increased study quality
8. Accelerated timelines

Let’s get into how modern research management software facilitates each of these improvements.

Better Research Data Management 

In clinical research, data is the lifeblood of discovery. As studies generate vast amounts of information, effective data management is critical. Research management empowers study teams to extract meaningful insights with unprecedented efficiency and have a single source of truth throughout the clinical trial process. Here are some of the specifics:

1. Centralized data storage: consolidates all study-related data and documents in one secure, accessible location.
2. Data integrity: ensures data consistency and reduces errors through standardized input methods and automated validation checks.
3. Real-time data capture: enables immediate data entry and updates, improving accuracy and reducing lag time.
4. Version control: maintains a clear history of document revisions, ensuring teams always work with the most current information.
5. Data integration: combines data from multiple sources, facilitating comprehensive analysis and insights.
6. Automated data cleaning: identifies and flags inconsistencies or errors for rapid resolution.
7. Advanced analytics tools: provides built-in statistical analysis and visualization capabilities for deeper insights.
8. Audit trails: tracks all data interactions, enhancing transparency and supporting regulatory compliance.
9. Secure access controls: ensures data privacy and confidentiality through user-specific permissions.
10. Efficient document management and retrieval: implements powerful search and tagging features for quick access to specific information.
11. Automated backups: protects against data loss through regular, secure backups.
12. Standardized data formats: facilitates data sharing and interoperability between different systems and stakeholders.
13. Electronic signatures: streamlines document approval processes, and patient consenting.
14. Data export capabilities: allows easy extraction of data for external analysis or reporting.
15. Document workflow management: automates routing, review, and approval processes for enhanced efficiency

Probe, the research management software from Infiuss Health, does all of the above. Plus, we have something extra for the medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, academics, contract research organizations, and other researchers that partner with us: access to our own patients and proprietary clinical datasets via our Patient Connect community.
Patient Connect makes it easier for patients and participants to opt into clinical research studies. These patients also provide valuable data.  With patient permissions, we make these curated datasets available to our research partners.

Easier Compliance with Protocols and Regulatory Requirements

In clinical research, compliance with protocols and regulatory standards is crucial, yet often complex and time-consuming. Research management software streamlines compliance. Researchers maintain high standards while focusing on their primary goal of advancing medical knowledge. 

1. Automated documentation: The system generates and maintains required reports and records, reducing manual errors and ensuring consistency.
2. Centralized compliance information: A single repository houses all protocols, consent forms, regulatory documents, and guidelines.
3. Timely alerts: Automated reminders for deadlines, submissions, and protocol checks keep teams on track and prevent oversights.
4. Comprehensive audit trails: Detailed logs of all activities and changes provide a clear record for inspections and audits.
5. Standardized processes: Uniform workflows reduce protocol deviations and ensure consistent adherence across all study sites.
6. Regulatory update integration: Automatic incorporation of the latest regulatory changes keeps studies compliant with current industry standards.
7. Version control: Management of multiple document versions ensures teams always work with the most up-to-date protocols.
8. E-signature support: Streamlined approval processes for critical documents expedite workflows while maintaining compliance.
9. Real-time compliance monitoring: Immediate oversight allows for quick identification and resolution of potential issues.
10. Rapid compliance report generation: Quick production of detailed reports facilitates regulatory submissions and internal reviews.

Our Probe software makes regulatory compliance a breeze, while also managing your data, participants, and other aspects of your study.

Improved Participant Management

The recruitment and management of a group of participants entails a huge administrative burden. Research management software (e.g., Probe by Infiuss Health) makes participant recruitment and management easier. Here’s how:

• Patients ready to participate: Access to our large, diverse pre-screened patient registries accelerates patient recruitment and enrollment.
• Automated screening: Intelligent algorithms match study criteria with potential participants, reducing manual workload and improving accuracy.
• Centralized participant data: Consolidates all participant information in one secure location, enhancing data management and accessibility.
• Engagement tools: Features for regular communication, appointment reminders, and educational materials to keep participants informed and involved.
• Retention strategies: Automated follow-ups, personalized messaging, and incentive tracking to maintain high retention rates.
• Remote participation support: Enables decentralized trial elements, increasing accessibility and potentially improving adherence.
• Real-time monitoring: Dashboards for tracking recruitment progress, retention rates, and participant compliance.
• Adverse event tracking: Facilitates prompt reporting and management of any health issues or concerns raised by participants, which leads to prompt interventions and improved patient care.
• Consent management: Streamlines the process of obtaining and storing informed consent, including e-signature capabilities.
• Visit scheduling: Automates appointment scheduling and reminders, reducing no-shows and improving study efficiency.
• Diversity and inclusion tools: Provides features to monitor and enhance participant diversity, ensuring representative study populations.
• Participant feedback collection: Gathers and analyzes participant experiences to continually improve study processes.

Our comprehensive approach to patient management addresses some of the biggest challenges in clinical research, potentially leading to more efficient, inclusive, and successful trials.

Better Collaboration

Collaboration is the cornerstone of successful clinical research, often involving diverse teams across multiple locations. Yet, coordinating efforts, sharing information, and maintaining clear communication is challenging. Research management software transforms how teams interact and work together. By providing a unified digital environment, it breaks down barriers and streamlines collaborative processes. Here's how advanced research management platforms enhance collaboration in clinical studies:

• Centralized platform: A unified workspace and single source of truth where all team members access the latest information. This reduces data silos and miscommunication.
• Real-time communication: Integrated messaging and notification features for instant updates and prompt issue resolution.
• Seamless document sharing: Easy distribution of documents, data, and resources so everyone has access to essential materials.
• Contribution tracking: Detailed records of individual contributions and changes for transparency and accountability.
• Collaborative editing: Simultaneous multi-user editing capabilities for documents and datasets, streamlining teamwork and improving efficiency.
• Task management: Features for assigning, tracking, and managing responsibilities, ensuring clear accountability and timely completion.
• Role-based access control: Customizable permissions to ensure appropriate access to sensitive information based on team roles.
• Version control: Robust tracking of document and data versions, preventing conflicts, maintaining data integrity, and documenting changes.
• Cross-site collaboration: Tools to facilitate cooperation between multiple research sites, sponsors, or contract research organizations.
• Audit trails: Comprehensive logs of all collaborative activities for regulatory compliance and process improvement.

These collaborative abilities, made possible by research management solutions, make the research process more efficient, accurate, and accountable.

Lower Costs

Clinical research can be costly with these costs presenting a significant barrier to innovation. An all in one research management software lowers costs via more efficient operations and optimized resource usage. Here's how research management software helps reduce expenses in clinical operations:

• Task automation: Streamlines scheduling, reporting, and documentation, minimizing manual labor and administrative overhead.
• Error minimization: Automated data entry and validation decrease costly mistakes and potential financial penalties.
• Workflow efficiency: Streamlined processes reduce time and resources needed for task completion.
• Effort de-duplication: Centralized data storage and improved communication prevent redundant work.
• Remote collaboration support: Reduces travel expenses by enabling effective long-distance teamwork and the use of remote clinical research sites.
• Enhanced compliance: Ensures regulatory adherence, minimizing risk of non-compliance fines and penalties.
• Data-driven decision-making: Real-time analytics enable informed choices, preventing costly errors and improving financial planning.
• Accelerated timelines: Faster study completion reduces overall project costs and speeds time-to-market for new treatments.
• Paperless operations: Reduces expenses associated with paper-based processes, including printing, storage, and distribution costs.
• Improved patient management: Better patient recruitment, enrollment, and management decreases costly dropouts and the need for additional recruitment. Our clients in the life sciences enjoy a 95% patient retention rate via the efficiencies offered by Probe.
• Vendor management: Centralizes and optimizes relationships with external partners, potentially reducing service costs.

The above cost reductions can be significant. Probe has decreased patient dropout and lowered the cost of patient enrollment for our partners in academia and the life sciences.

Efficient Decision-Making

Clinical research is already hard. A research management platform helps scientists focus on the science, not admin and research logistics.

1. Real-time data access: Provides instant availability of up-to-date information for timely, informed choices.
2. Advanced analytics: Offers sophisticated tools for data interpretation, revealing patterns and insights to guide decisions.
3. Information centralization: Consolidates all relevant data, documents, and communications for easy retrieval and reference.
4. Enhanced data accuracy: Ensures reliable information through automated entry and validation, boosting decision confidence.
5. Collaborative input: Facilitates team communication and information sharing, incorporating diverse perspectives into decisions.
6. Progress monitoring: Tracks project milestones and results, allowing for strategy adjustments based on performance.
7. Resource allocation insights: Offers data-driven recommendations for optimal distribution of personnel, funds, and materials.
8. Predictive analytics: Utilizes historical data and trends to forecast future outcomes, aiding in strategic planning.

Armed with better insights, our partners can make critical decisions that guide their projects to a successful completion.

Better Study Quality

Via many of the mechanisms discussed above, research management software improves the quality of studies. Here’s a recap of the ways it does so:

1. Automated data validation: Reduces data entry errors, ensuring higher data accuracy. More reliable data leads to more trustworthy results and conclusions.
2. Protocol adherence tracking: Monitors and enforces consistent study procedures. Minimizes protocol deviations, enhancing the validity and reproducibility of the study.
3. Centralized data repository: Provides a single source of truth for all study data. Reduces data inconsistencies and loss, leading to more comprehensive and accurate analyses.
4. Enhanced audit trails: Records all data changes and access. Increases data integrity and study transparency, crucial for regulatory compliance and result credibility.
5. Real-time monitoring and alerts: Enables immediate identification and resolution of issues. Prevents small problems from escalating, maintaining high data quality throughout study progress.
6. Advanced analytics tools: Uncovers hidden patterns and relationships in data. Leads to more nuanced insights and robust conclusions.
7. Improved participant engagement: Enhances communication and compliance with study protocols. Reduces missing data and protocol violations; increases the completeness and reliability of results.
8. Integrated quality control: Implements systematic checks at critical points. Ensures consistent data quality across all study phases, reducing the risk of compounded errors.
9. Standardized documentation: Enforces consistent record-keeping practices. Facilitates easier data interpretation and cross-study comparisons, enhancing overall research quality.
10. Collaborative review facilitation: Enables efficient peer review and feedback. Incorporates diverse expertise for more robust study designs and interpretations.
11. Automated workflow management: Ensures consistent execution of study processes. Reduces procedural errors and variability.

Faster Research

We’ve discussed how research management software generally makes research more efficient. Often, these efficiencies translate into a compressed timeline. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Automated data validation: Instantly checks for errors, eliminating manual review and accelerating data collection and analysis.
2. Protocol adherence tracking: Enables real-time detection and correction of deviations, preventing compliance-related delays.
3. Centralized data repository: Provides immediate access to all study information, reducing time spent searching across multiple sources.
4. Real-time monitoring and alerts: Allows rapid responses to issues, preventing minor problems from causing major delays.
5. Advanced analytics and reporting tools: Automates data analysis and report generation, significantly reducing manual processing time.
6. Improved participant management: Streamlines communication and scheduling, reducing delays from missed appointments or incomplete data.
7. Integrated quality control checks: Continuously catches and corrects issues, avoiding time-consuming rework.
8. Standardized documentation templates: Reduces time spent on document creation and formatting.
9. Automated workflow management: Streamlines task assignments and progression, eliminating bottlenecks and idle time.
10. Electronic data capture (EDC): Enables faster data entry and reduces transcription errors, speeding up data collection and cleaning.
11. Remote monitoring capabilities: Reduces on-site visits, saving travel time and allowing for more frequent oversight.
12. Regulatory submission automation: Streamlines the preparation and submission of regulatory documents, accelerating approval processes.
13. Integrated communication tools: Facilitates faster decision-making and problem-solving through improved team collaboration.
14. Resource allocation optimization: Ensures efficient use of personnel and equipment, reducing downtime and accelerating study progress.

Naturally, faster research ties into lower costs (above), creating a potentially virtuous cycle of efficiencies. 

Work with Infiuss Health

If you’re a clinical research organization, life sciences company, or academic research institution, we’d love to show you how our Probe software can increase efficiency and quality while lowering the costs associated with clinical research. Contact us today.

Clinical Research FAQ

What is Probe?

Probe by Infiuss Health is a comprehensive project management platform to streamline and enhance the management of clinical research. Learn more about Probe, or sign up to start using it today. 

What is a CTMS?

CTMS stands for “clinical trial management system” or “clinical trial management software.” It is a specialized software solution for the planning, execution, and management of clinical trials. It serves as a centralized platform for overseeing all aspects of clinical research, including study design, participant recruitment and retention, site management, data collection and analysis, regulatory compliance, and financial tracking. 

A CTMS enhances operational efficiency, improves data accuracy, facilitates collaboration among stakeholders, and ensures adherence to protocols and regulations. This comprehensive tool enables researchers, sponsors, and clinical trial managers to streamline administrative tasks, monitor trial progress in real-time, manage resources effectively, and ultimately accelerate the development of new medical treatments while maintaining high standards of quality and patient safety.

Is Probe a CTMS? 

The term “CTMS” is used for many types of platforms related to clinical research. In a broad sense, Probe is a CTMS, but more narrowly focused than other platforms. For example, we don’t help with site management or the recruitment of principal investigators. The areas in which we do extraordinarily well—outperforming other CTMS offerings—are in the areas of patient recruitment, patient enrollment, patient retention, and curated datasets.

Probe includes other vital functionality, such as e-signatures, monitoring and reporting, compliance enforcement, EDC, audit trains, team collaboration, and much more. We’ve built it to have an intuitive interface and robust clinical management capabilities. Read our Probe page to learn the full scope of its abilities.

Why should I use Probe over a different CTMS?

If you want a clinical research management platform that outperforms other CTMS software in the area of patient enrollment, patient recruitment, and patient retention, choose Probe. Also, our curated datasets, given with permission from our Patient Connect community, will give you a decisive advantage.

What is EDC?

EDC stands for “electronic data capture.” It is a computerized system that collects clinical data in electronic format for use in clinical trials. EDC systems streamline the data collection process by replacing traditional paper-based methods with electronic forms, which can be completed via web-based interfaces. EDC can improve data accuracy, enhance efficiency, and promote regulatory compliance in clinical research.

What is MDM in clinical trials?

MDM stands for “master data management” and is used to define and manage the critical data of an organization to provide a single point of reference. In the context of clinical trials, MDM involves the consolidation, maintenance, and dissemination of consistent and accurate master data across the organization for a single point of truth that all stakeholders can refer to.

What is the difference between CDI and MDM?

MDM (Master Data Management) and CDI (Customer Data Integration) are both data management strategies, but MDM covers a broader scope of all critical data entities, while CDI focuses specifically on integrating and managing customer data. 

CDI is a subcategory of MDM. In clinical research, CDI integrates data from diverse sources to create a unified profile for each participant. This ensures accurate, consistent data, enhances participant engagement, improves data quality, and supports compliance with privacy regulations, ultimately leading to more reliable research outcomes.

Both CDI and MDM are critical components of successful research, and our Probe platform incorporates both.