Article | August 7, 2012

This Is NOT Your Sponsor's CTMS

Source: Forte Research Systems, Inc.

By Brian Wulff, Business Development Manager, Forte Research


In talking with hundreds of research sites over the last year, I have had many site personnel tell me, “We don’t need a CTMS. Our sponsors give us one.”

Sponsors do have their own CTMS or EDC systems and sites log into them to enter clinical data for a given sponsor or trial. But none of these systems belong to the site and none are devoted to the business operations of the site across all studies.

For sites that are still on the fence about whether having their own CTMS makes sense, let’s consider an analogy. Have you ever said, “My employer has an accountant and QuickBooks, so I don’t need to track whether I get paid or whether I get paid the right amount.” That’s crazy, right? Most of us have an expectation of what we will be paid, when, and for what. And, we check our own bank accounts or pay stubs every once in a while (or every time) just to be sure all is right.

If you’re not using a system to manage the operational data related to your trials, you are left to take on faith that your sponsors pay you what you deserve – based on the information they keep in their system!

Just as it doesn’t make sense to leave your personal financial management up to your employer, neither does it makes sense to leave your business’ financial management up to your sponsors. Take control of your operational data management. You may be surprised to learn that, if you are like many other research sites that are relying on Excel spreadsheets and sponsor systems to get appropriately paid for work completed, you are probably coming up short.

Allegro CTMS@Site is designed for research sites – it empowers you to manage the data that drives your research activities and helps your site survive and thrive in this era of tighter budgets, more competitive trial selection, and the necessity of running your research operations like a business. As the saying goes, “No margin, no mission.”

Allegro CTMS@Site is your CTMS and with the money it will help you find, you’ll have no problem covering your costs – by a long shot.