Growth, mergers, internal reorganizations, siloed functional groups, varied outsourcing models, and the continual use of outdated technology are common occurrences within the clinical trial industry.
As drugs are approved and pharma companies see success with their work, many organizations charge full-speed onto the next study or submission using the same processes without pausing to assess the efficiency and quality of their work. Unfortunately, these strides forward often lead to neglected workflows and, over time, negatively impacted production and quality in their deliverables.
During these periods, gaps and disparities among processes and systems may become visible in the form of concerns with data integrity, inefficient workflows, or siloed internal teams. If the root of the problem is not apparent to those responsible for correcting these issues, performance and quality are likely to continue to decline over time.
If your department, functional units, and staff are experiencing a decline in workflow efficiency, concerns over data integrity, or proper resource allocation, it may be time to examine the heart of your organization - your internal processes. Examining your current state for gaps or issues can not only determine if your processes are working for or against you, but could lead to solutions that can align your teams back onto the path to success.
The Importance of Optimized Processes and Systems
When gaps and disparities within your organization’s internal processes appear, you may not notice them right away. The longer these gaps exist, the higher chance of an increased risk in data integrity, longer timelines, and concerns over quality.
For example, if your organization does not have a standard set of processes that are understood and used across the organization, your teams may begin to work off their own individual, separate processes. These siloed processes can lead to internal confusion, a decrease in collaboration, inefficient workflows, and unclear resource allocation requirements. In turn, each of these issues acts as a potential threat to the accuracy and traceability of your data.
The best way to prevent these issues from arising is to actively monitor and continuously improve operational systems and processes, particularly those that affect data integrity and the analysis of your clinical trial results. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for those who handle these operations to be too close to frontlines or too busy to see the big picture and identify these concerns.
What Causes Your Processes To Fail?
There are many reasons your systems and processes may begin to fail. Some of the most common causes include company growth or reorganization. As the company begins to change, previous processes - even those that have once led the company to success - may no longer be relevant to new circumstances. As a result, gaps and issues may appear.
Additionally, organizations that continue to use legacy technology may find that the practices of the past may not be equipped to handle the requirements of the modern age. Such technology may be too slow, ill-equipped to integrate with new technologies, or may require inefficient manual actions in order to function properly.
These process complications can play a negative role in your organization’s everyday performance. Disconnected and incoherent processes and systems can cause unnecessary complexity to simple, everyday actions. They may also lead to an increase in mistakes with the many data handoffs throughout the process, resource allocation, project timelines, and data quality. Assessing and optimizing your business processes can help organizations have a clear understanding and better control over every aspect of their operation.
The Value of Optimizing Your Processes and Systems
Organizations that take the time to continuously assess, optimize, and improve internal processes and systems see a significant increase in overall performance. As seen in a recent case study focusing on the modernization and hosting of a clinical computing environment for a top 30 Japanese-based global Pharma company, addressing system gaps and issues aligned disjointed teams, increased organization efficiency, and improved the quality of their data through a robust data lifecycle.
In addition to these results, optimizing processes can lead to even further organizational success, including:
- Improved communication among all teams
- Enhanced data flow management for both internal and external needs
- Increased compliance through standardized processes
- A decreased in labor use through automation
- Increased efficiency
- Fewer inaccuracies and manual mistakes
Developing and enhancing systems and processes helps companies ensure that their work gets done accurately, efficiently, and to a higher standard of quality.
How To Ensure Your Systems and Processes Work For You
Even if a company is running smoothly, there may be opportunities for improvement unseen by those close to the system. The Clinical Business Process Optimization (BPO) offering by d-wise was created to help organizations holistically understand their current process gaps and improve their internal workflows.
By assessing the current state of an organization's processes and systems, our experienced industry professionals can guide organizations suffering from system and process gaps and obstacles toward efficient governance and change management. Clients can benefit from:
- Expert-level process analysis leading to current and future state models
- Technology roadmaps designed to modernize your systems
- User-centric, process-driven training
- Ongoing support through transitions, migrations, and system adoptions
To learn more about how d-wise can help your organization improve processes and systems within product development, reach out to our experts today.
