Why site engagement remains study critical

“All we are really asking for is someone committed to listening to us.”

Clinical trial site support remains fundamentally flawed, with research from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) indicating key challenges that continue to disrupt trial performance.

Sites feel let down by poor communication, generic services, and tech that is mandated for site use but not designed for them as users. This is compounded by inconsistent or delayed responses to site queries, limited access to real-time information, and a lack of CRA continuity. Broadly, site staff feel unsupported, overwhelmed, and disconnected. These challenges aren't new, but they demand new thinking.

The recent findings from Tufts provide a roadmap to tackle these issues. The research identifies actionable solutions to foster sustainable engagement and improve study outcomes, based on in-depth interviews with site staff and a detailed literature review.

Revisiting the challenges

The Tufts research highlights four key barriers to effective site engagement:

These issues not only delay recruitment but also strain relationships between sponsors, CROs, and sites, ultimately compromising study outcomes. Meaningful progress requires human-first solutions that center site staff needs and directly address the realities of trial conduct.

Actionable solutions

Sponsors must focus on engaging sites and prioritize practical, human-first solutions. Here are three critical strategies:

1. Real-time communication: Replace outdated email threads and delayed responses with instant, direct access to self-serve answers and knowledgeable points of contact.

2. Tailored interventions: Deliver personalized support to each site, adapting resources relative to site size, experience, and current performance.

3. Site-centric digital experiences: Guide site workflows with integrated tools and systems that centralize study information and communication, simplifying access to critical resources.

The shift to leading indicators

Aside from the issues faced by sites, why should sponsors act? Site engagement has a proven impact on site recruitment performance, yet site staff remain largely dissatisfied and disengaged. Traditional approaches to trial conduct and site management will continue to fall short while they focus on static outputs without visibility of the inputs that drive them.

Site performance is typically evaluated using metrics like recruitment numbers and retention rates. These lagging metrics fail to capture the real-time dynamics driving site success. A shift to leading indicators, such as engagement metrics, provides proactive oversight.

Teckro’s platform exemplifies this approach by enabling study teams to:

Case reports reveal that best practice studies see repeat monthly engagement from over 70% of their sites, accelerating recruitment and reducing time to last-patient-in by up to 20%.

Restoring trust through collaboration

Fostering trust is essential. Sites want to feel like partners, not merely a cog in the trial machine. When sponsors and CROs listen, communicate transparently, and provide meaningful support, they create an environment where sites can thrive.

As one site representative shared in the Tufts study: “Treat us as partners and treat us with respect.” A new paradigm is already emerging; with site engagement at its core. This partnership mentality requires an actionable shift to anticipating and preventing known pain points - creating a streamlined and empowering study experience that optimizes how sites interact with the trial.

A call to action

The Tufts findings challenge the industry to reimagine how trials are conducted. Moving away from outdated practices toward purpose-built, site-centric solutions can revolutionize engagement and performance. Sponsors and CROs that embrace this focus will not only achieve faster recruitment but also build lasting relationships with their sites.

Teckro’s data-driven, digital-first approach provides a proven pathway to success. By focusing on real-time communication, tailored support, and intuitive tools, Teckro empowers sites to perform at their best while delivering measurable returns for sponsors.