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Buzzreach significantly updates the entry-level features of its clinical trial management system, “StudyWorks”.
Buzzreach Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Takaki Inokawa) is pleased to announce a major update to the “Entry Plan Function” in its clinical trial management system ” StudyWorks ,” which supports the accumulation of case data by clinical trial sites.
This function streamlines the design, management, and operation of patient enrollment plans (entry plans) aimed at achieving the contracted number of cases in clinical trials undertaken by clinical trial sites, and allows for the sharing and visualization of progress among medical institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and CROs.
■ Development Background
In recent years, the importance of “improving the case enrollment rate per clinical trial site” has been increasing in the Japanese clinical trial environment .
Japan is a “hospital nation” with one of the world’s largest numbers of hospitals. While the large number of hospitals is a strength in terms of comprehensive regional healthcare, it also presents challenges such as the dispersion of patients and medical resources, leading to decreased efficiency in patient acquisition for clinical trials.
As a result, it has become necessary to select a large number of medical institutions in order to secure the required number of cases, leading to increased operational burdens such as higher clinical trial startup costs and delays in the start of clinical trials.
Furthermore, with the ongoing shortage of doctors and CRCs (clinical research coordinators), principal investigators and in-house CRCs often handle everything from designing patient enrollment plans to managing their progress, making it difficult to assign dedicated personnel to entry plans.
Against this backdrop, Buzzreach developed this function to visualize the case accumulation activities of clinical trial sites and support their efficient operation.
■ Main features of the entry plan function
1. Designing an entry plan to achieve the contracted number of cases.
By working backward from the contracted number of cases for each clinical trial, you can design a systematic case acquisition strategy, calculating the required number of potential patients, screenings, and referrals.
2. Real-time visualization of case accumulation status
You can manage the number of patient referrals, candidate patients, screenings, and admissions in real time, and identify any discrepancies with your plan.
3. Information sharing among healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and CROs (CRAs)
Because not only the clinical trial sites but also the sponsoring pharmaceutical companies and CROs (CRAs) can track the progress, it becomes possible to identify problems early and plan countermeasures.
4. Operational support to compensate for resource shortages
This standardizes case acquisition activities that previously relied on the experience and intuition of doctors and clinical research coordinators (CRCs), enabling efficient operation even with limited human resources.
5. Integration of entry plans and patient schedule management
If a candidate patient managed under the entry plan consents to participate in a clinical trial, it will automatically link to the patient schedule (Visit) management function, which can be customized for each trial, contributing to increased efficiency in the CRC’s work.
■Buzzreach’s goal: A “regional case accumulation network”
Buzzreach, as a solution that works in conjunction with StudyWorks, networks medical institutions surrounding the medical institutions conducting clinical trials as “partner medical institutions” and supports case accumulation through patient referrals. Currently, we are promoting the construction and operation of case accumulation networks in each region, enabling access to patient segments that cannot be reached by the clinical trial medical institutions alone. Furthermore, we have assigned “Recruit Managers,” specialist personnel for case accumulation support who work in conjunction with StudyWorks, to support the design and operation of entry plans in cooperation with stakeholders inside and outside the hospital. By combining digital and human support, we aim to reduce the burden on clinical trial medical institutions while achieving higher case accumulation outcomes.
■ To improve the competitiveness of clinical trials at university hospitals
Buzzreach will primarily provide this function to university hospitals, which play a central role in regional healthcare.
While university hospitals play a vital role in providing advanced medical care and conducting research and development, they are also facing challenging financial environments.
Improving the ability to accumulate clinical cases will lead to an increase in opportunities to receive clinical trial contracts from pharmaceutical companies and to securing non-medical revenue.
Buzzreach will contribute to improving the competitiveness of clinical trials at university hospitals and building a sustainable clinical trial ecosystem through its digital platform centered on StudyWorks, a network of partner medical institutions, and operational support from recruitment managers.
■ About Buzzreach Co., Ltd.
Buzzreach’s mission is to “provide new options to as many patients as possible through the power of technology,” and it is promoting digital transformation (DX) in the field of clinical trials and clinical research.
We are working to improve the clinical trial environment in Japan by developing services such as the clinical trial management system “StudyWorks,” the patient-oriented clinical trial information platform “smt (Search My Trial),” and distributed clinical trial (DCT) support services.
[StudyWorks Service Website] https://product.puzz.app/lp/sw/
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