Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS)

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Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS)

Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) ensure efficient resource allocation and data management while significantly reducing costs and time in healthcare research. Specialists in custom software development who create tailored solutions for medical institutions help them conduct much faster and more precise research processes. Clinical trials can take years to reach a result, while new treatments might be urgently needed. Thus, medical software is vital for healthcare organizations.

About Clinical Trials

Clinical trials evaluate new medical approaches, including drugs, surgical procedures, behavioral treatments, and preventive care, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Clinical trials assess the efficacy of innovative medical practices on human health outcomes, and Clinical Trial Management Systems represent medical software that simplifies each process from research to approval.

Biomedical clinical trials have four phases. As described by WHO, the first one tests new drugs in a small group to determine safe dosages and side effects; the second phase examines treatments in a larger group; the third phase involves larger, diverse populations before treatment approval, and the fourth phase occurs post-approval, testing in a vast population over a more extended period.

Clinical Trial Management Systems, More Than Just an Administrative Tool

Each clinical trial phase involves staff management, volunteer management, data collection and analysis, site management, and other essential elements that might influence the result. Healthcare organizations use Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) to avoid errors and streamline processes.

The CTMS market is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 14.3% from 2023 to 2030. The growing number of clinical trials conducted globally influences the evolution of CTMS demand.

One of the main key differentiators for Clinical Trial Management Systems is data safety. Security breaches in healthcare seem to be the costliest across all industries – in 2023, the numbers reached 10,9$ mil. per breach, according to the World Economic Forum, double compared to the financial industry. Thus, the software solutions used in clinical trials are not just management tools – they also support security measures.

Best Practices in Clinical Trials, as Proposed by WHO

In May 2022, the 75th World Health Assembly passed a resolution to enhance clinical trials for better health interventions, research quality, and coordination. Then, the director-general requested WHO to develop a guidance document for best practices in clinical trials, resulting in a draft that will be updated in the next period with input from healthcare professionals.

Promoting collaboration and ensuring transparency in all aspects of the trial, from design to reporting, are elements highlighted among the principles. The draft also focuses on strengthening the global ecosystem for clinical trials by developing adequate infrastructure and fostering team efficacy. Moreover, among the areas of competencies mentioned are study & site management, staff & resources management, data flow, and clinical and laboratory operations.

To all these desiderates, technology is an excellent stimulus. Clinical Trial Management Systems provide the means to conduct research efficiently, store large amounts of information, enhance communication, and reduce the time and costs of clinical trials.

AROBS’ Work on Clinical Trials Management Systems

The AROBS Life Sciences team is highly skilled in developing Clinical Trial Management Systems, which include site selection, training management systems, documents management, notification management, and electronic documents repository.

One of the team’s most successful projects resulted in a decreased trial duration from a few years to less than a year and a cost reduction of up to 75%. The solution was a web-based service with solid reporting capabilities to enhance handling patient screening & enrollment, trial phases, randomization, and drug supply management. Learn more about the project here.

If you want a secure and scalable custom software solution to manage clinical trials, let’s work together!