The Cost Of NOT Having An IRT
Choosing an IRT (also known as Interactive Voice and Web Response) system is often one of the last decisions made by the trial team. Understandable. They’re so busy with getting the trial up and running on time, that discussing IRT functionality and implementation is the last thing on their minds.
But your IRT is a vital part of your trial and should be considered more closely.
Read the Whitepaper: Top Five Reasons You Need IRT Expertise, Not Just Software
Have You Considered …
Whether you’re in clinical operations or clinical supplies, the IRT is fundamental in reducing costs and increasing efficiencies from patient enrollment to dispensing drug. Beyond the major cost savings, it is simply impossible to conduct large Phase II and Phase III studies without an IRT.
When early discussions begin before the trial start date, IRT functionalities need to be included. Whether you are responsible for patient management or drug management, an IRT specialist will ensure patients have the right drug at the right time, as well as reduce the number of distribution events.
As drug accountability is becoming more and more important, online accountability logs through your IRT can save you time and money. Completing online logs at the site reduce monitoring staff time and enables better planning. More importantly, it eliminates the use of paper logs, which lend themselves to human error and disorganization.
To optimize your site staff’s valuable time, as well as reduce the costly risk of double entering data, your IRT must integrate seamlessly into other eclinical systems (EDC, Central Labs, etc.). Additionally, your IRT needs to include a custom reporting feature, which empowers you to make better decisions in real time.
Real Cost Savings
When it comes to tangible cost savings, an IRT is going to be much more cost effective in reducing drug waste by dispensing drugs on a per visit basis, rather than manually dispensing by patient. And the cost savings associated with drug supply can be quite impressive. Imagine reducing drug overages by more than 100%. It’s true.
Now consider the cost of manufacturing, packaging, storing, shipping, returning, and destroying the drug. Add to that the capacity and timelines for manufacturing and packaging, expiry date management, and the duration of the study, and you see how the costs of a poorly managed drug supply strategy can escalate. On the other hand, a strategically designed IRT that can optimize the costs between shipping and packaging will save you more money than you originally invested in the IRT system itself, service costs included.
Unexpected Savings
When you work with an IRT specialist, you can save money in unexpected ways. A partner specializing in IRT can provide temperature excursions reporting, enabling you to better manage drugs that need close monitoring for deviations during shipment. When you don’t use an IRT, the monitoring process is less than acceptable – you will ship the temperature monitor to the team, then the team reads the monitor, if an excursion needs to be addressed, the client is called and decisions are made, and then supplies are quarantined or reordered. That’s time wasted and money lost.
Separating IRTs
There are two types of IRT partners: those who offer an IRT system as just one of their many services and those who focus exclusively on IRT. As the largest IRT specialist in the world, we are able to see things others don’t. Our experience enables us to construct worst-case scenarios before they arise so we can proactively address them before they become real problems.
Even though system design and implementation is very important, it lasts less than three months. Your study might run for five years, and we’re committed to your success every step of the way. We’re not just building technology; we’re building partnerships. And no matter what happens, whether it’s an amendment to the protocol, recall of the drug, etc., we’re here for you and your trial.
In two years, Cenduit has never missed a Go Live date. In fact, more than 65% of our Go Lives were ahead of schedule. Additionally, our User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is impeccable, averaging fewer than 0.5 preventable errors per study reported.
The importance of IRT and the monetary benefits of partnering with a specialist who will go above and beyond your expectations is undeniable. The benefits of eclinical integration and real-time access to reporting are one thing. Developing a thorough, strategic drug supply plan, which can reduce costs significantly, is another.
With Cenduit as your specialized IRT partner, you’ll get the expertise to minimize errors and resolve issues quickly. You’ll have 24/7-access to a well-trained help desk and a scenario document in advance of your Go Live.
At Cenduit, we adhere to the idea of Every Patient. On Time. Every Time.
To learn more about how our unique, specialized IRT focus can help your next trial, fill out the form below. We would appreciate the opportunity to talk with you.
