Overcoming Clinical Research Staffing Challenges in Poitiers, France, through seacolehealth
The Challenge
A global clinical research organisation (CRO) faced a daunting challenge in managing a clinical research site in Poitiers, France, known for its extreme staffing shortages and difficult working conditions. The site struggled to retain a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC), leading to poor data quality for an active research study. The urgency was compounded by the critical need for clean safety data due to patients actively participating in the study, further exacerbated by the timing coinciding with the August holidays in France. The client sought an experienced data entry staff member to rectify the data quality issues at the Poitiers site swiftly and efficiently.
The Solution
Seacole Health, a strategic partner, stepped in to address the staffing challenge. Leveraging local partnerships, Seacole Health employed a variety of flexible solutions to attract suitable candidates despite the challenging circumstances. These solutions included offering flexible working locations, including partial remote work options, providing travel arrangements for non-local candidates, expanding minimum criteria, and offering additional compensation.
Seacole Health identified a highly qualified candidate who had previous experience as both a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) and CRC. The candidate’s flexibility in working hours made her an ideal fit for the project. However, logistical challenges arose, such as the lack of management resources and dedicated workspace at the site, as well as the CRC’s limited access to computer resources. Seacole Health facilitated communication between the CRC, site, and client to develop creative solutions, including providing a laptop directly to the CRC, ensuring she had the necessary tools to succeed.
The Outcome
The successful implementation of Seacole Health’s staffing solution resulted in deploying an experienced and highly qualified CRC to the struggling Poitiers site. The client expressed satisfaction with the personnel assigned to the project, highlighting the CRC’s ability to navigate challenges around intranet access, PI availability, and space issues. Moreover, the CRC’s familiarity with the Principal Investigator and her team from previous roles contributed to a seamless integration into the project team.
Through Seacole Health’s innovative approach and diligent efforts, we were able to address critical staffing shortages at the Poitiers site and ensure the timely and accurate collection of data for the ongoing research study. This successful collaboration underscores the importance of strategic partnerships and creative problem-solving in overcoming challenges within the clinical research landscape.
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