Site-Based Technologies Drive Data Quality and Compliance

In a recent video interview with Applied Clinical Trials, Jonathan Andrus, co-CEO of CRIO, discussed how 2026 is expected to mark a continued shift toward site-based technologies and protocol-driven eSource to improve data quality, compliance, and trial efficiency. He emphasized the importance of capturing high-quality data at the point of patient encounter, reducing fragmentation across sites, and enabling real-time data access and monitoring. Andrus also highlighted the growing need for cross-functional collaboration during protocol design, stronger governance across the data lifecycle, and increased use of AI to streamline study build, data review, and operational workflows.

Editor's note: This transcript is a lightly edited rendering of the original audio/video content. It may contain errors, informal language, or omissions as spoken in the original recording.

ACT: Based on your experience integrating data and technology, what operational shift will most impact trial execution in 2026?

Andrus: Thanks for the question. As I look at 2026 and what we’re hearing from current customers, prospective customers, and even through my role with the Society for Clinical Data Management—where I sit on the board and executive committee—there is definitely a significant shift toward how we can leverage site-based technologies for downstream clinical trial effectiveness.

I think there is a very concerted focus on ensuring data quality, compliance, and patient data reliability at the point of patient encounter. That is going to be hyper critical in 2026. Making sure that, as data are initially collected, there is the highest level of quality and compliance requires tools and technologies that sites can rely on and sponsors can trust.

If I reflect back over the past 30 years, we really haven’t changed that dramatically in how data are collected. Many sites are still using paper or a mix of tools and technologies. There is a lot of discussion around electronic medical records, and while they serve a purpose, they are not fully aligned to protocol-driven data collection.

Ultimately, sites need tools that allow them to collect source data in a way that is trustworthy and then feed that data downstream into sponsor systems like EDC and, eventually, clinical data warehouses. There is also a broader shift happening from traditional clinical data management to clinical data science—applying analytics, identifying trends and outliers, and evaluating data in aggregate.

So overall, in 2026, I expect a continued push toward robust, trustworthy electronic systems at the clinical research site level.