Managing & Monitoring Trial Sites Overview
We’re working on this section. For now, have a look at:
- The UK has a big network of trial managers, the UK Trial Managers’ Network. It has produced a free guide to efficient trial management.
- The Studies Within A Trial (SWAT) database hosted by Queen’s University in Belfast contains a lot of suggestions for trial management interventions in need of evaluation.
- There is a free tool to support trial management, called, imaginatively, the Trial Management Tool is one of many tools available from one of the Norwegian Cochrane sites. Scroll down to get the to Trial Management Tool. It’s getting a bit old now but has some useful material in it.
Top 5 Managing & Monitoring Trial Sites Tips
01.
Efficient trial management starts with efficient design. It’s important that trial managers are involved in trial design and costing.
02.
The evidence available to inform many trial management decisions is very thin. If you are uncertain about a decision, consider initiating or joining a Trial Forge evaluation of the options you are considering.
03.
Worth sending out a senior investigator to a site if recruitment is flagging? Some suggestion that the answer is yes but needs much more evaluation. See SWAT 1.
04.
More to come: keep checking the site…
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More to come: keep checking the site…
More About Managing & Monitoring Trial Sites
The monitoring of a trial is one of the key activities undertaken as part of the trial’s management. Whether management functions are contracted out to third parties or kept in-house, formal processes should be in place to ensure oversight of trial activities. Duties here may include assessing that individuals are appropriately qualified and competent to perform delegated functions, ensuring all parties are aware of their delegated roles and responsibilities, and maintaining open lines of communication to ensure activities are being performed as expected. Staff morale will undoubtedly waiver throughout difficult processes such as during difficult recruitment times, and this should be monitored closely.
