Clinical trials sit at a unique intersection of science, patients, and clinical care, and for decades, the “gold standard” has prioritized the rigor of the data, often at the expense of the patients providing it. This gap between rigid protocol requirements and the realities of patients’ lives is a primary driver of participant hesitancy and high dropout rates. In eCOA, where patient and site contributions are foundational to data quality, this tension is especially consequential. Visit frequency, required tasks, and device flexibility all shape patient burden, and these on-the-ground realities are too often absent from protocol design.

This webinar brings together patients, sites, and eCOA science to dismantle the researcher-subject hierarchy and replace it with a collaborative model. Through a panel discussion, we’ll translate these perspectives into practical, real-world insights to guide decisions within your protocol. This session aims to offer a more grounded blueprint for scientifically sound protocol design, one where patient and site insights are embedded in the DNA of your eCOA strategy.

Key Themes: 

• The Burden of Participation: Moving from “What data do we need?” to “How will this protocol impact a Tuesday afternoon for a single parent or a working professional?” and what trial design choices around eCOA follow from that shift.
• The Site Lens: What sites observe firsthand when poor trial design translates to patient burden and operational friction
• Technology as an Equalizer: How digital tools can reduce participation burden and improve data capture without creating a digital divide that excludes non-tech-savvy participants.
• Defining eCOA Science: What do we even mean by eCOA science? What might different stakeholders be thinking of with this term? And how does it differ from COA science?

Speakers:

• Paul O’Donohoe, Senior Director, eCOA Product and Science, Medidata
• Brett Gellers, Director / Site Administrator, CNS Healthcare
• Kelly Lipman, RRT, MPH Senior Principal, Sprout Health Solutions
• Ann Marie Mercurio, Chair of the Medidata Patient Insights Board

To learn more visit our eCOA page.