This year's SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit in Hollywood, FL brought together industry leaders and innovators to discuss the evolving landscape of clinical trials. While DPHARM, another recent conference we attended, focused on innovations throughout the clinical research industry, SCRS stood out for its strong emphasis on site and patient-centric clinical approaches.
Our attendees, Adam Merola, Director of Life Sciences, Albi Santiago, Mobile Clinic Fleet Manager, and Lindsay Derucher, Project Manager, share key trends from the Summit and shed light on how 20/20 Onsite's innovative clinical solutions make patient-centric clinical trials more convenient by efficiently addressing industry challenges—reducing time, cost, and administrative burdens for both sites and patients.
The 20/20 Onsite team manning our booth at SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit 2023.
Trend #1: Meeting the Rise in Demand for Eye Exams
One standout trend from SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit 2023 is the increasing requirement for vision assessments in clinical trials, especially in areas like oncology and diabetes. Merola emphasized, "Now more than ever, there is a growing need for 20/20 Onsite's services in clinical trials.”
What sets 20/20 Onsite apart is our innovative approach. "We're the only company that provides this type of mobile service – where you can go directly to a subject's address or expand the capabilities of sites – and do so nationwide."
Recommended Reading: How Will the Ophthalmologist Shortage Impact Your Next Study?
Trend #2: Fostering Collaboration with Research Sites
"SCRS is, hands down, one of the better conferences when it comes to building relationships," Santiago said. Beyond the traditional vendor role, 20/20 Onsite prides itself on being a supportive ally to research sites, especially in areas like ophthalmology where coordination can be challenging. Merola also stressed the value of personal connections, assuring sites of 20/20 Onsite's reliability for advice and collaboration.
"In some trials, we can act as a mobile site, but at the end of the day, we're here to supplement and help the site," Merola noted. "It's important for them to know that someone has their back. If there's a place where 20/20 Onsite's services are applicable, the site should know they can call us for advice and potentially bring us in as a vendor to assist them."
Trend #3: Bridging Gaps in Non-Ophthalmic Clinical Trials
“SCRS is a global summit for sites; it's site-centric. As a first-time attendee, it was a great opportunity to connect in person with sites that we are already serving, as well as introduce ourselves to new sites,” Derucher said, reflecting on her experience at SCRS. “We are eager to serve sites and their patients in trials with both ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic endpoints. Many sites currently are not aware of how to participate in a trial with an ophthalmic endpoint. Connecting with 20/20 Onsite gives them access to our highly-rated clinical staff and cutting-edge equipment. We can be there when we are needed, providing flexibility to the sites that we support.”
"When I explain 20/20 Onsite’s mission and delve into the solutions we bring to the table, it's like watching a lightbulb go off in their head,” Santiago added.
Recommended Reading: Why Mobile Eye Exams are Critical in Non-Ophthalmic Clinical Trials
Trend #4: Making Meaningful Connections
At the Summit, our team had the pleasure of meeting McKenzie Lang, Director of Business Development at Headlands Research. Lang expressed her enthusiasm about 20/20 Onsite stating, “Not only is 20/20 Onsite an impressive company with their mission and vision of patient-centricity, but [so is] their eagerness to work with companies across the healthcare system. Headlands looks forward to future collaboration and potentially utilizing 20/20 Onsite for our patients in certain clinical trials around the US.” Derucher also enjoyed meeting Jordan Wertheimer, Director of Business Development at Headlands Research, noting how even brief meetings can evolve into valuable discussions that lead to possible collaborations.
Derucher also expressed her gratitude to Honorary SCRS President David Vulcano. She appreciated his warm welcome and encouraging words, affirming that the door to SCRS is wide open for industry newcomers. Vulcano’s inclusivity left a lasting impression, contributing to Derucher’s enthusiasm coming out of two back-to-back memorable conferences.
The team went on to highlight other valuable connections and introductions made at the conference:
- Savanna Mueller and the team at Ripple
- Lauren Stockwell from Clinical Research Fastrack
- HyperCORE team
- BEK Health
- Barrington James
- EmVenio Research
- Care Access
- Datacubed Health
- DM Clinical Research
- Accellacare Clinical Research
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
- Latinos in Clinical Research
Santiago and the team would also like to congratulate Van Johnson, Vice President of Business Development, and the team at Velocity Clinical Research for earning the 2023 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award, sponsored by Sanofi.
The 20/20 Onsite team posing with the SCRS sign.
Partner with 20/20 Onsite for Patient-Centric Clinical Trials
This year's Summit showcased 20/20 Onsite's impact through recognition, strategic evolution, and fostering meaningful connections. “It marked a positive shift for our team. Instead of needing to give them a full explanation of the 20/20 Onsite mission and vision, we found many people recognizing our company," shared Merola. Santiago agreed, stating, "Our takeaway is a better understanding of how we can add value. We're more selective and offer solutions strategically."
Did we miss you at this year's SCRS Global Site Solution Summit? Let’s connect! If you were in attendance, set up a meeting with Jess Mays; she’d love to hear your takeaways from the event and learn what strategies your company is prioritizing as we enter 2024.
We’re also planning ahead for conferences next year, including the 2024 SCRS Global Sites Solutions Summit. Reach out to us now to coordinate conference schedules and to set up a meeting with our Life Sciences team in Hollywood, FL next October.