SCRS Talks

Hosted by Society for Clinical Research Sites

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Episodes

225

Latest episode

Sep 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

SCRS Talks, hosted by the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS), is a platform for clinical research industry professionals to hear about valuable information shaping the research industry today. These short interviews will provide new perspectives and insights on pressing topics, current events, and the research community.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 28, 202613 min

Before the Burden Begins: Designing Trials That Work Better for Sites

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Mike Hutton of Almac Clinical Technologies to talk about where site burden really starts, and what sponsors can do earlier in study design to reduce it. They dig into the difference between protocol complexity and operational complexity, why fragmented systems and workflows quietly pile friction onto site staff, and what a more connected, site-first approach to trial design actually looks like. Mike also shares the one question he wishes more sponsors would ask sites before finalizing a protocol.

September 21, 202617 min

Turning Site Data Into Sponsor Trust: A Conversation with CRIO

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Megan Richards, Director of Sponsor Operations at CRIO, to talk about how research sites can get more strategic with their data. Megan walks through where to start when identifying the right KPIs, how to build dashboards that actually get used (and the four common pitfalls to avoid), and how benchmarking against industry standards helps sites spot both wins and opportunities for improvement. The conversation wraps with practical advice on turning operational data into a compelling story for sponsors and CROs, strengthening relationships, and winning future study awards.

September 14, 202621 min

Operation Trialblazer: Bridging Sites and Sponsors

Jimmy Bechtel talks with Catherine Gregor, Chief Clinical Trial Officer at Florence Healthcare, about Operation Trialblazer and what it means for sites and sponsors. Drawing on her experience running sites (including at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center) and now working in trial technology, Catherine unpacks why regulatory ambiguity holds both sides back, how CRAs lose major visit time to admin work instead of clinical review, and why data still moves so inefficiently between sites and sponsors. The conversation touches on AI's potential to ease that burden, what rising eTMF pass rates really signal, and what it will take for sites to move faster without losing critical context.

September 8, 20268 min

Inside the Summit Standout Awards

Lauren Stockwell sits down with Rick Greenfield, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of RealTime eClinical Solutions, to talk about three awards making their debut at the 2026 Global Site Solutions Summit Eagle Awards Gala. Rick and Lauren break down what each award is looking for, from the best exhibit booth in the hall to the person who best embodies the spirit of the summit itself. The bulk of the conversation centers on the Bright Idea Award, which is open to anyone across sites, sponsors, CROs, and vendors who has a solution worth sharing with the industry. Rick also makes a case for why participant experience is one of the biggest areas ripe for a fresh idea. If you are heading to Global this October and have been sitting on an idea or just want to know what to look forward to at the gala, this is a quick and worthwhile listen.

August 28, 202610 min

Simplify the Work; Lead the Science: EHR2Sponsor

In this episode of SCRS Talks, Lauren Stockwell sits down with Dave Damrau, VP of Global Clinical Operations for the Americas, and Amy Cramer, Global Head of eSource Data Acquisition, both from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, to unpack J&J's EHR to Sponsor initiative. They discuss why duplicative data entry remains one of the biggest burdens on site staff, what the data shows about the time and error costs of manual transcription, and how eSource solutions are already improving data accuracy. Dave and Amy walk through why oncology became the starting point for this work, what site-driven collaboration has meant for adoption, and what's next as J&J expands EHR to Sponsor into additional therapeutic areas in 2027. Tune in to hear how this initiative aims to reduce friction for sites while creating a more efficient, connected model for clinical research. Join Dave and Amy for the J&J SCRS Summit EHR Action Panel on October 18th from 9:00 to 10:00 AM.

August 24, 202627 min

Turning Clinical Trial Leftovers Into Global Impact

What happens to unused medical supplies when a clinical trial ends? For years the answer was simple: destroy them. Josh Kravitz (MedSurplus Alliance) and Greg Folz (Kits4Life) join Jimmy Bechtel to tell the story of how a stack of boxes, a looming Site Tank deadline, and a crisis in the Congo turned into a program that has now impacted over 6 million lives worldwide. Greg walks through the moment his research staff refused to keep destroying usable supplies, and how that frustration became an idea that won on stage and grew into an industry wide movement. Josh breaks down how trusted partnerships and strict chain of custody get donated supplies from a research site to a clinic or classroom halfway around the world. It's a conversation about waste, generosity, and what's possible when sites push their sponsors to think differently about what happens after a trial ends.

August 17, 202620 min

Fixing the Foundations of Clinical Trial Execution

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Dr. Tia Warrick, CEO of Lesous Consulting, to talk about what actually drives clinical trial failures and what the industry can do about it. With nearly a decade of experience spanning coordinator to CEO, Dr. Warrick brings a ground-level perspective to a problem that costs the industry billions. The conversation covers why so many trials struggle before enrollment even begins, the difference between foundational certifications and true skills-based competency, and what it means that roughly a third of clinical trial failures trace back to workforce gaps we actually have the power to fix. Dr. Warrick also shares her take on where AI fits in, and why it is a useful tool but not a replacement for people who truly know their roles. If your team is thinking about how to build a more resilient, capable workforce and set trials up for success from day one, this episode is worth your time.

August 10, 202621 min

Patchwork Collective: Pharma to Table

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with Brian Burkhardt of the Oliver Patch Project and Andy Shepherd of Project Outrun to talk about the Patchwork Collective, a growing coalition of pediatric oncology advocacy organizations working to bridge the gap between families battling childhood cancer and the clinical trial world. From a "Pharma at the Table" activation at SCOPE to the upcoming Patches & Pairs launch at Give Kids The World, Brian and Andy share how relationship-building and education are the keys to advancing pediatric representation in clinical research.

August 3, 202621 min

Beyond Transactions: What Site Ambassadorship Really Means

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Kimberly Staeck, Head of Global Site Partnerships and Trial Enablement Solutions at Syneos Health, to dig into what it really means to treat sites as partners rather than execution engines. Kimberly brings two decades of operational and partnership experience to a conversation that gets honest about where the industry falls short. They cover why sites have learned to tell the difference between being heard and actually listened to, what closing the feedback loop looks like in practice, and why early site involvement in protocol development is a risk mitigation strategy, not a delay. Kimberly also makes a case for shifting away from activity-based metrics and toward shared outcomes that reflect the real health of a partnership. The throughline is simple: when sites feel valued and supported, patients get better care, staff stay in the field longer, and trials perform. If your organization is serious about moving from transactional to transformational site relationships, this one is worth your time.

July 28, 202618 min

How Agentic AI Is Transforming Clinical Research Site Operations

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Brooklyn Montgomery, Business Development Director at Deep Intelligent Pharma (DIP), to explore how agentic AI is reshaping the way clinical research sites operate. Brooklyn breaks down where AI delivers real value for physician-led research, what meaningful adoption actually looks like at the site level, and the three questions every site should answer before spending a dollar on AI tools. The conversation also covers how mentorship and technology work together to close the gap between academic research and clinical execution, and where sites are headed as they move from execution partners to upstream contributors in trial design. Disclaimer : The content of this article reflects interview perspectives and is intended for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute any commitment, representation, or guarantee regarding the performance or outcomes of any product or service. Actual results may vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, study design, data quality, regulatory requirements, and implementation conditions.