Real-time enrollment dashboard for multisite clinical trials

OBJECTIVE: Achieving patient recruitment goals is critical for the successful completion of a clinical trial. We designed and developed a web-based dashboard for assisting in the management of clinical trial screening and enrollment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We use the dashboard to assist in the management of two observational studies of community-acquired pneumonia. Clinical research associates and managers using the dashboard were surveyed to determine its effectiveness as compared with traditional direct communication. RESULTS: The dashboard has been in use since it was first introduced in May of 2014. Of the 23 staff responding to the survey, 77% felt that it was easier or much easier to use the dashboard for communication than to use direct communication. CONCLUSION: We have designed and implemented a visualization dashboard for managing multi-site clinical trial enrollment in two community acquired pneumonia studies. Information dashboards are useful for clinical trial management. They can be used in a standalone trial or can be included into a larger management system.