Abstract

ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON PATIENT CENTRICITY IN CLINICAL TRIALS

Dr. Jonathan DSouza*

Abstract

Patient-centricity is about ensuring that the patient's needs and perspectives are considered while maintaining scientific rigor during the conduct of a clinical trial. Pharmaceutical companies are now employing newer electronic technologies to engage patients in the trial design by seeking and acknowledging their input in conducting a successful trial. There has been a rapid growth in e-technologies to improve data collection, patient recruitment and retention, study medicine tracking, delivery and dissemination. While clinical trials have been slow at incorporating e-technology into the design and execution of clinical trials, there has certainly been an increase in its use to reach a wider audience, making clinical trials more effective and reducing costs. This paper gives a general overview of the use of information technology in improving patient communication and engagement at different stages of a clinical trial. The paper provides a brief insight on how newer software solutions have begun to transform patient engagement at different stages of the clinical trial. In the not so distant future, the extensive use of information technology would make data capture, postoperative observation and quality-of-life assessments in real time much easier for both the patient and the healthcare professional.

Keywords: Information technology, patient centricity, digital technologies, e-consent, software-as-a-service.