SCRS Talks

In this episode of SCRS Talks, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Donna Cryer, Chief Patient Officer at Cryer Health and active FDA patient advocate, to explore the critical difference between patient inclusion and patient leadership in drug development. Drawing on her own lifelong experience as a patient, Donna makes the case for why having patients in real positions of authority is not just a values s...

AI is moving fast, and research sites are feeling the pressure to keep up. But before diving in, there are some foundational questions every site should be asking. Jimmy sits down with Marc Wartenberger, VP of Compliance and Security at CRIO, to break down what a defensible AI validation approach actually looks like, why under-documentation is the most common compliance mistake sites are making ri...

Josh Stent, CEO of Momentum Clinical Research, joins Jimmy Bechtel to share how his 19-site network in Australia and New Zealand is using AI and automation to cut administrative burden, improve data accuracy, and get more time back for patients. From centralized data reporting to automated invoicing and smarter recruitment funnels, this episode breaks down what practical AI adoption actually looks...

The rare disease space is often overlooked, but it may be the most important laboratory we have for the future of medicine. Jimmy sits down with Rob Freishtat, board member of the Foundation for mRNA Medicines, to talk about what is actually driving collaboration between academic institutions and industry, what a changing regulatory landscape means for sites, and why financial viability and patien...

What happens when a research site gets so frustrated with disconnected systems that they decide to build their own? In this episode, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Brian Hunter, COO, and Florin Petrutiu, CIO of Site Centric, to hear exactly that story. Born out of CNS Healthcare over 18 years ago, Site Centric has evolved from an internal workaround into a full CTMS platform now available to sites e...

What does it actually mean to be a sponsor of choice? In this episode, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Carrie Lewis and Suzy Montanye from Keenova to find out. The two share how the newly formed company, born from the merger of Mallinckrodt and Endo, is building a site partnership model grounded in accountability, transparency, and real feedback. From their site operational advisory board to a dedica...

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with John Worden, Chief Commercial Officer at Javara, to explore how AI-driven data analysis is moving clinical research and patient care away from one-size-fits-all medicine toward truly personalized treatment pathways. They discuss how embedded research sites inside healthcare systems are uniquely positioned to put these tools to work, what end-to-end data integration mea...

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Dr. Anastasia Christianson, former senior innovation leader at Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, to talk about what a real AI strategy actually looks like in clinical research. They dig into why isolated pilots fall short, how to think about AI as a process change rather than a tool add-on, and where the biggest missed opportunities are right now. Dr. Christianson also...

Every site absorbs costs that never show up in a budget. Coordinator overtime, screen failures, startup inefficiencies, technology burden — these aren't edge cases, they're everyday realities. And over time, they're what push good investigators out of research for good. Lauren Stockwell sits down with Mike Pierre, Project Manager at SCRS, to talk about the Hidden Costs Workshop, why...

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Kristen Bosse, VP of Product Development at CRIO, and Samir Jain, VP of Product Management at Medidata, to talk about a collaboration that has been a long time coming. Together they break down why eSource to EDC integration has historically been out of reach for dedicated research sites, what has made it so hard to do at scale, and how their joint solution is changing...

Cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated, and research sites are not immune. In this episode, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Anders Lindquist, Senior Manager of Research Site Enablement at LabCorp, to break down the most pressing digital security risks facing clinical research sites today. Anders shares how human behavior is at the core of most cyber breaches, what red flags to watch fo...

In this episode, Jimmy Bechtel sits down with KimberLee Heidmann, Executive Vice President of Quality and Regulatory at Scout, to discuss the financial and administrative challenges clinical research sites face when managing patient payments and reimbursements. They explore how cash flow gaps impact site operations, why sites are adding overhead fees to contracts, and the burden of unexpected part...

Sustainability in clinical research does not have to be overwhelming. In this episode of SCRS Talks, Lauren Stockwell is joined by Paula Underhill of PPD part of Thermo Fisher Scientific and Clare Grace, CEO of EMS Healthcare and the 2025 Excellence in Site Sustainability Award recipient. Claire walks through the concrete changes EMS implemented across its mobile unit model, including solar integr...

Jimmy Bechtel sits down with Jeff Zucker, Chief Development Officer, and Brandon Lenfest, Regional Director at Tekton Research, to dig into what makes CNS and neuroscience trials uniquely challenging for sites. They cover why patient identification in this space requires a completely different approach, the often overlooked but critical role caregivers play, and what sites can do to keep patients...

Dana Kudrnova from Novotech shares proven strategies to accelerate study startup by overcoming regulatory and administrative bottlenecks. Learn how data-driven KPIs, mandatory templates, and unified technology transform unpredictable timelines into streamlined milestones. Dana emphasizes that while AI provides speed, active ownership and human oversight are what truly prevent document delays. This...

Jimmy Bechtel talks with Darcy Forman, COO of Lightship, about how hybrid site models can reduce operational risk in clinical trials. They discuss matching visit types to the right setting (clinic, home, or mobile), lessons learned from the pandemic's rapid shift to decentralized trials, and how to maintain strong investigator oversight across different delivery models. Darcy shares practical...

Lauren Chazal, Chief Business Development Officer at Headlands Research, shares insights on growing from individual research sites to a 23-center network while preserving local culture and patient focus. Learn how Headlands maintains site identity during expansion, implements strategies for reaching diverse patient populations, and addresses the business realities sponsors often overlook. Lauren o...

What makes patient voice sessions the most impactful part of every SCRS summit? Jade Tuttle from Syneos Health breaks down what she learned from featuring patients at four summits in 2025. The recurring theme? There are still massive gaps in our systems, but sites that adapt proactively and deliver emotionally intelligent trials create transformative patient experiences. Jade shares standout stori...

What if patients could participate in clinical trials from their living room instead of driving hours to a site? Tyler Van Horn, CEO of Science 37, explains how their direct-to-patient site model works. With one site covering all 50 states, Science 37 sends research-grade nurses to patients' homes, ships investigational products directly to participants, and uses telemedicine for investigator...

Clinical trials are innovating fast, but what happens when new tools, models, and processes are layered onto sites without alignment? In this episode, Stacey Davidson, Head of Content and Strategy at Cuttsy+Cuttsy, joins us to unpack The Site Factor, a report built on insights from 100 site staff across the globe. Stacey shares what sites revealed about recruitment challenges, communication gaps w...

Clinical trials need flexibility, but most systems are rigid. Conor Garrett from Scout Clinical explains how they built flexibility into every layer of their patient payment and travel logistics services. From customizable portals that adapt to site preferences to a 24/7 patient liaison team that steps in when flights get canceled or payment issues arise, Scout's approach is people first, tec...

Kathy Kohler, Vice President of Customer Success at Suvoda, discusses the strategic merger between Suvoda and Greenphire and what it means for sites and patients. Learn how bringing randomization, trial supply management, and clinical trial payments together on one platform reduces site burden, eliminates fragmented technology, and creates smoother patient journeys. Kathy shares specific capabilit...

Claire Sears of EMS Healthcare and Almenia Garvey of Allucent join us to discuss what makes the European Site Solutions Summit truly unique. As the newly appointed co-chairs, they share what excites them most about leading this site-centric event and why bringing sites, sponsors, and CROs together in one room drives real solutions. From AI implementation and ICH E6(R3) to contract negotiations and...

Jane Hiatt, Executive Director of Clinical Operations at Merck, shares insights into why sites have recognized Merck as Sponsor of the Year for four consecutive years. Learn how Merck prioritizes site partnerships through active listening, transparent communication, and operational improvements including query simplification, streamlined payments, and technology solutions that address real site ne...

Joshua Carey and Blair Stevens from Emeritus Research , recipients of the 2025 Site Spark Award , share the story behind their custom-built education resource library designed to empower staff, strengthen confidence, and improve knowledge retention. Hear why learner-focused training matters, how creativity can coexist with regulatory rigor, and what other clinical research sites can take away from...