I am surprised and often speak on how research sites work with local professionals to support the conduct of clinical trials.  As clinical trials have grown more complex, it is common for study sites to require to support of ancillary service providers to help them fulfil protocol requirements. 

These are important relationships formed across academic medical centers, hospitals and community practices.  When there is attention to these relationships, data quality is improved and patient care improves.  There are also benefits to the overall pace and conduct of clinical research. 

A way to rapidly select, activate and conduct clinical trials is to understand the nature of services a site is likely to need within its community and take the time to structure workflow.  Having structured professional agreements, requisition forms and payment terms allow sites to focus on securing the right protocols for their patients.

Published in the Journal of Clinical Research Best Practices (February, 2018), Chris Beardmore, CEO and Martin Walsh, President of Anova discuss the importance of Ancillary Service Provider (ASP) Agreements in clinical trials.