Rapid advancements in technology are spurring disruption in nearly every industry, and the biotech and pharmaceutical markets are no exception. From biosensors and 3D bioprinting to gene editing and tissue engineering, there is no doubt that significant evolution is underway.

New approaches to solving existing problems, however, must not only provide an alternative solution but deliver increased benefit in order to gain traction and secure adoption. Uber Health, for example, has taken on the challenge of reducing the number of missed physician appointments due to patients’ lack of reliable transportation. Their new solution to an existing problem is easy to use and provides benefits to both patients and physicians. By using the Uber driving force, physicians now have a way to help patients get to their appointments safely and on time.

Challenges of Traditional Clinical Trials

In the clinical trial space, one on-going challenge is to find, recruit, engage, and retain participants throughout the duration of a trial. A contributing factor is that clinical trial protocol is generally developed by pharmaceutical companies and focuses more on their requirements than patient convenience. As a result, current processes are rigid and traditionally require patients to travel to a clinic for in-person visits.

In today’s environment, the general public expects a higher level of customer service than they have accepted in the past. They want flexibility and simplicity. Using technology to create a patient-centric process that reduces the burden on participants and increases overall success rates of clinical trials is a win-win scenario and a welcome change.

Virtual Visits Add Convenience for Patients

By incorporating virtual visits into trial protocols, patients that may otherwise skip an appointment due to long travel times, or other reasons, can easily meet with their principal investigator, on schedule, without ever leaving their homes. Not only does this option reduce time and expense for participants, but it also streamlines the process for clinicians and keeps an open line of communication available via phone and video. This hybrid model of clinical trials maintains in-person visits when warranted and introduces virtual visits when requirements can be accomplished virtually. Participants experience less disruption of lifestyle.

Viewing participants as informed collaborators whose participation is core to the overall success of the trial vs. merely a subject for observation, translates into higher retention rates and increased clinical trial completions. Applications that provide a virtual experience for patients are available today and changing the landscape of the clinical trial market. VirTrial is an innovative company in this space and represents ‘The Future of Virtual Clinical Trials’. Contact us for a demonstration.