Are you a researcher, and you’re looking for ways to increase the efficiency of your clinical trials? Do you want to revamp your current operations? Then you need to invest in clinical trial software. Yes, they’re there and meant to ease work for you. Are you wondering how to choose one for your operations?
This article has shed light on this; read on and consider the following:
1. Integration With Other Systems
Clinical trial software can’t work as a stand-alone; it has to be connected to other systems to run efficiently. Therefore, before settling on any one tool, you should ensure it works well with your current systems. None of the systems should override or force-stop the other; they should work harmoniously.
Should you acquire a clinical trial that’s not integrating with your systems, you might have to replace all your existing systems to accommodate the new one. It can be the case where the software is expensive compared to your existing. Alternatively, you can ask your vendor for an exchange with one that works with your systems. However, this isn’t a guarantee since different vendors have varying terms and conditions. If they don’t accept returns, you’ll have to buy another software. As you purchase, your current systems should be the guiding principle and not the software.
2. Ease Of Use
The clinical trial software you choose should have an easy-to-use interface. Remember, your aim of acquiring the software is to make work easy for you and your team depending on the type of patients.
Therefore, before making a purchase, you should test it out. It is possible with a demo; request one from your vendor. As you assess the software, check if it’s user-centered or requires complex algorithms. Also, ensure it’s easy to navigate and has a self-service portal. You can browse here for more on clinical software with demos.
Easy use is crucial to reduce the time spent training your team on utilizing the tool, and if it’s complex, you’d have to spend several days, if not weeks, trying to make your team understand the system. It takes time off from the clinical trial, which shouldn’t be the case. With easy clinical trial software, the team will be well-conversant in a few hours or a day. Also, a complex platform might lead to errors due to a lack of comprehension. The clinical error affects several parties, and wrong conclusions might interfere with patients’ health.
3. The Vendor
From where you source your clinical trial software is essential since more or less it contributes to the ease of use of your tool. Your relationship with a vendor doesn’t end after you purchase the software; it continues as long as you utilize the tool. It’s because you might encounter issues as you use the software and need assistance; here is where the vendor comes in.
Therefore, you need to buy the software from a vendor with great customer service. One sure way to know of this is to ask them about the services they’ll offer you after the purchase. Also, inquire about their availability and how you should contact them should you face an issue.
The vendor also determines the quality of the product you’re getting from them. You can verify this by checking to see if they have many clients. Having many clients means the vendor is trusted for delivering legitimate software. And at the end of the day, you want to work with a high-quality platform for your clinical trials, which require accuracy and precision.
4. Costs
Your budget should determine the price you pay for clinical trial software. Here, you need to consider the initial buying price of the clinical trial software. However, this shouldn’t be your only consideration. You need to inquire about the maintenance and running needs of your platform. With most software, they’ll require you to pay subscription fees beyond the initial cost. Some might ask for monthly payments, with others needing yearly payments. Thus, you need to choose a platform with a plan that you can easily pay for, putting in mind you also need to fund your clinical trials and other operations.
At the end of it all, you need to compare the short and long-term costs of the clinical trial software with your budget. Refrain from surpassing your budget; get the best tool within your budget.
5. Scalability
As with any other technology, scalability is an important aspect, as it makes the software adapt to changes, including your growth as a research facility. Most developers enable scalability by coming up with new versions of their tools that accommodate more than their predecessors. However, this isn’t what you need to consider under scalability for clinical trial software.
It would be best to focus on the built-in aspect of the clinical trial software. The developer should’ve integrated built-in features that cater to the future. You don’t need to upgrade your software every time there’s a new inversion with such features. The vendor can make all these upgrades within your current system. This kind of system saves you a lot of time, allowing you to focus on your clinical trials rather than worry about how you’ll get the next version and the preparations you need to make beforehand.
Takeaway
This article has shown that the process of choosing clinical trial software isn’t overwhelming with the right guidance, like the one this article gives. Therefore, consider factoring in the aspects discussed herein in your selection process, and you’ll settle for the right one. The take-home is to make your needs the center of your selection process. You may want to choose clinical trial software that’ll suit your specific needs for it to be a viable and long-term investment.