Many independent physicians have thought about clinical research. Sponsors call. Patients ask about new treatments. Colleagues at academic centers run trials. But when the practice looks at what it would take, the answer is usually the same: we don't have the staff.
That problem is solvable. Here is how independent practices add clinical research without hiring a research team of their own.
Why research feels out of reach
A single industry trial comes with a long list of requirements. Someone has to complete feasibility surveys, negotiate a budget, submit to an IRB, build and maintain a regulatory binder, schedule protocol visits, collect and enter data, manage investigational product, report adverse events, and invoice the sponsor. Most of that work falls to a clinical research coordinator, and most practices don't have one.
Hiring one is hard. Coordinators are specialized, turnover is common, and a single coordinator can't cover vacations or a sudden jump in enrollment. Without studies already running, it is hard to justify the salary. Without a coordinator, it is hard to win studies.
The partnership model
An integrated research organization breaks that cycle. The partner brings the research infrastructure and people. The practice brings its physicians and patients. In practice, the work divides like this:
The partner handles: coordinators, study sourcing, feasibility, contracts, budgets, IRB and regulatory work, recruitment, data entry, and billing.
The practice handles: investigator oversight, medical decisions, and space to see study patients.
Step 1: Assess fit
The first step is a simple assessment. Which specialties do your physicians practice? Which conditions do you treat most often? Roughly how many patients do you see for each? Simple counts from your own reports are enough to start. A good partner compares that picture against open trials and tells you honestly which studies fit and which don't.
Step 2: Set up the site
Next comes site setup. That includes investigator documents and training in Good Clinical Practice, standard operating procedures, a regulatory binder, equipment checks, and a plan for where study visits will happen in your clinic. Research coordinators are hired, trained, and placed at your site by the partner, not by you.
Step 3: Win studies
With a site in place, the partner presents your practice to sponsors and CROs. Sponsors pick sites based on investigator experience, patient access, and a realistic enrollment plan. Specialist practices often have a strong story on all three. Read more about what sponsors look for in a new site.
Step 4: Run and enroll
Once a study is approved and activated, coordinators pre-screen your patient list, schedule visits, and manage the day-to-day work. Your investigators see study patients, make the medical calls, and sign off where the protocol requires it. Enrollment is tracked weekly, so problems are caught early.
What it asks of physicians
Research is not zero time for physicians. The principal investigator is legally responsible for the study and must provide real oversight. For most studies that means a few hours a week: seeing study patients, reviewing eligibility, assessing adverse events, and signing key documents. What the partnership removes is the administrative load around that work.
What it costs
In a well-structured partnership, the practice pays nothing upfront. The partner invests in setup and staffing, and study revenue is shared under a written agreement. Any compensation must reflect fair market value for work actually performed, so a good partner will have a clear, attorney-reviewed structure. See our guide to clinical research revenue for practices.
Questions to ask a potential partner
Who employs the coordinators, and who covers vacations and turnover?
Who owns the sponsor relationships and contracts?
How are study payments tracked and shared?
How will you recruit patients beyond our own panel?
How do you protect patient privacy? Will you sign a business associate agreement?
What happens if a study enrolls slowly?
Getting started
Adding clinical research no longer requires building a research department. With the right partner, an independent practice can offer patients new treatment options and add a new revenue stream while its physicians keep practicing medicine.
Greg Van Horn is the founder and CEO of Whizz Health.
Want to see what research could look like in your practice? See if your practice qualifies →
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