Viewpoint: Decentralized clinical trials have arrived and staying for good

@#The Covid-19 pandemic challenged every healthcare system, and the disruption of clinical trials was not the least of it. Many clinical trials halted or did not activate as sponsors and investigators grappled with the risk of infection if patients involved in clinical trials visited trial sites. The clinical studies that managed to continue and complete were those that immediately adopted decentralized clinical trials (DCT) technologies such as eSource. Patients were engaged from the comfort and convenience of their homes during the clinical trials with the use of DCT technologies. The flexibility in recruitment, engagement, and monitoring of clinical trial participants are among the reasons why DCTs are here to stay.

Viewpoint : Physician as a clinician, researcher, and academician

The daily work life of physicians who function as clinicians, researchers, and academicians is focused on improving public health and patient outcomes in three usually compartmentalized settings: clinics, classrooms, and centers for research. In these settings, physicians are addressing patients' medical concerns based on evidence, and at the same time, considering if new information could lead to research and discovery for better patient outcomes. The physician then proceeds to mentor, teach, and train medical students in quality evidence-based clinical practice and the conduct of scientific research. The importance of operationally blending these three disciplines with research as a common thread is not only a big challenge for these physicians but also an opportunity to innovate for better public health.

Viewpoint: Physician as a Clinician, Researcher, and Academician

@#The daily work life of physicians who function as clinicians, researchers, and academicians is focused on improving public health and patient outcomes in three usually compartmentalized settings: clinics, classrooms, and centers for research. In these settings, physicians are addressing patients’ medical concerns based on evidence, and at the same time, considering if new information could lead to research and discovery for better patient outcomes. The physician then proceeds to mentor, teach, and train medical students in quality evidence-based clinical practice and the conduct of scientific research. The importance of operationally blending these three disciplines with research as a common thread is not only a big challenge for these physicians but also an opportunity to innovate for better public health.