This blog was excerpted from the recent webinar “Accelerating Patient-Centric Clinical Trials Through Science-Based Planning, Delivery, and Support,” where leaders from SubjectWell and Veristat came together to discuss how a thoughtful, integrated approach can solve some of the industry’s most persistent issues. You can watch the webinar in full here.
Trial delays are common and costly
According to Fred Martin, CEO of SubjectWell, the urgency is real: “85% of all trials are delayed, and 94% of those delays are longer than one month.” These delays can have massive financial and operational repercussions. Dr. Matthias Roos of SubjectWell cited industry benchmarks showing “one month being worth $1 million, if not up to $2 million,” in opportunity cost—particularly when loss of first-mover advantage or market trust comes into play.
But it’s not just about speed for speed’s sake. As Patrick Flanagan, CEO of Veristat, pointed out, “Precision targeting requires more sophisticated trial designs, inclusion criteria, patient targeting… The complexity is what’s driving much of this.” With personalized and rare disease therapies on the rise, traditional models are no longer adequate.
85% of all trials are delayed, and 94% of those delays are longer than one month.
The 3-part strategy: Plan. Deliver. Support.
The speakers agreed on a central thesis: acceleration happens when planning, delivery, and support are rooted in data, collaboration, and a clear understanding of patient realities.
“It’s about starting early and starting with the end in mind,” said Flanagan. “Even in protocol development, that patient experience and that feedback is critical.”
From engaging patients in endpoint design to leveraging early regulator input and deploying adaptive trial designs, planning today requires orchestration across scientific, operational, and patient-focused domains.
Dr. Roos emphasized this synergy with a simple analogy: “It takes a bit of a holistic approach—like four legs of a chair… creative, reach, services, and technology.”
It’s about starting early and starting with the end in mind.
Case in point: An ultra-rare pediatric trial
COO Kim Boericke of Veristat shared a compelling example: a trial for children with a life expectancy under five years and only three global KOLs. The solution? Co-developing endpoints through a two-part protocol involving home-based raters and community site coordination.
“We were able to keep the patients at home… deploy a home-based rater… and reduce the burden on families,” Boericke explained. “We actually over-recruited and were able to meet enrollment faster for phase two.”
The case study underscores how well-structured patient-centered planning can translate directly into faster, more successful trials.
Patient recruitment is still the bottleneck
A poll during the webinar showed that 58% of attendees saw patient recruitment and retention as their top challenge. The discussion highlighted how most recruitment strategies fall short by neglecting patient psychology, timing, and trust-building.
As Dr. Roos explained, “It takes 5 to 12 contact points per patient. If you follow up 11 days later, it’s too late—they’ve forgotten you.” SubjectWell’s internal data showed that following up within 15 minutes boosts referral-to-consent rates from 4% to 30%.
The lesson? Personalization and responsiveness drive outcomes.
Bringing it all together with tech
Effective technology platforms make the entire process visible and measurable. Dr. Roos stressed the need for systems that offer both high-level overviews and granular patient-level detail. “You need to understand what’s happening in real-time—where success is happening and where it’s breaking down.”
Boericke added that real-time data access allowed their team to adapt on the fly during a submission effort involving 20 studies: “Working in parallel saved quite a bit of time for the team… we were actually able to make up that two-month delay and submit the NDA on time.”
You need to understand what’s happening in real-time—where success is happening and where it’s breaking down.
Final words: Science, strategy, support, and creative always win
As trials become increasingly complex, the key to acceleration lies in cutting through chaos with science-led strategies, collaborative planning, and unwavering attention to the patient experience.
Summing up the session, Flanagan stated:
“Using a partnership approach with our two organizations and a client partner, they can expect protocols that are in line with maximizing enrollment, reducing amendments, and accelerating timelines.”
Martin echoed that sentiment:
“With the right patient experience platform, from messaging and outreach to services and tech, you can accelerate timelines, improve retention, and reduce costs. This isn’t just operational, it’s a strategic imperative.”
