Clinical Researcher—February 2026 (Volume 40, Issue 1)
DATA-TECH CONNECT
Jerzy Zawadzki
The clinical research enterprise is a vast and ever-evolving construct. However, while science itself often advances rapidly, the systems used for documentation have largely remained stagnant. Researchers are determining breakthroughs and improving medicine, and the way they process that information needs to meet the needs of the greater digital and compliance-focused environments found in today’s healthcare arena.
Modernizing these legacy systems can’t wait for the next advancement. By migrating legacy systems to cloud-based architectures, trial data can be logged more accurately, timelines can be improved, and opportunities for advancement can be better realized.
The Hidden Risks of Legacy Systems in Research Settings
Clinical research environments often struggle with operational friction due to outdated infrastructures, which can impact study accuracy and timelines. Each system slowdown or data gap introduces risks to participant scheduling, recruitment, and reporting. These issues compound quickly in high-volume trials, making legacy platforms a threat to efficiency and protocol adherence.
- Siloed databases can create bottlenecks with inaccurate patient data flows, slowing down internal processes.
- Aging platforms often miss essential security patches, increasing exposure during high-stakes data exchanges.
- System overloads can halt scheduling or registration workflows, forcing teams to make manual corrections that increase the likelihood of protocol deviations and delays.
In light of these risks, many organizations delay information technology modernization for fear of interruptions. However, delaying the upgrades can compound challenges.
Designing a Migration Path
A clear migration pathway ensures active trials continue without interruption, while reducing operational strain. Each of the following steps supports clinical continuity by protecting data integrity and ensuring staff can continue working without workflow disruptions.
- Map data models to support accurate migration and long-term scalability.
- Transition to a cloud-based infrastructure to sustain higher data volumes.
- Improve back-end performance for faster processing during peak activity.
- Redesign the interface for more precise navigation.
- Conduct performance testing to address bottlenecks.
- Launch a phased rollout to ensure consistency and continuity.
Clinic workers can maintain continuity by migrating data in increments and validating checkpoints to ensure data integrity and accuracy. This should ensure adherence to privacy regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), throughout the migration workflow.
Benefits of Modernizing Systems for Clinical Trials
Clinical trials leveraging legacy systems may be hesitant to transition to a modernized platform. However, the benefits far outweigh the consequences of maintaining dated processes.
- Upgrading Registration Systems: A modern registration platform can provide patients with a secure intake portal and offer real-time scheduling. These could be crucial in supporting high-volume submissions during periods of major studies without compromising compliance or privacy.
- Modernizing Payment and Billing Databases: A streamlined payment system can reduce clinical staff’s manual workload by automating payments for participants and ensuring accurate accounting. These enhancements could minimize payment errors and support financial reporting, with financial audits readily available.
- Enhancing Internal Systems: Improving internal workflows and platforms could support staff coordination and maintain compliance with industry protocols. Integrating automation, opting for digital documentation over paper-based systems, and establishing connected communication systems can enable stronger cross-team collaboration between administrative and clinical teams.
Lessons from High-Traffic Environments: E-Commerce Parallels
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) and clinical operations, although different industries, have systems that work in fundamentally similar ways. Consider that clinic teams often experience high surges in trials for underrepresented demographics or during global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a key comparison of e-commerce’s own traffic spikes, such as during the holiday season or Black Friday sales.
A case study on an online store selling handcrafted household goods revealed the need to upgrade its legacy systems to a scalable system as it continues to grow.
- The Goal: The store aimed to upgrade its platform from an outdated version of Magento 2 (an open-source e-commerce platform) to the latest version. To streamline their internal processes and support their clients, they aimed to improve performance speed for faster load times, ensure seamless integration with third-party extensions, and upgrade their security measures.
- The Fix: Upgrading the site resulted in a smoother user experience, with faster loading times that reduce downtime, new security features, and enhanced platform stability. The platform was now able to support scalable growth, handle high-traffic spikes, and allow the company to scale with new and emerging opportunities.
Migration Models for Future-Proofing Architectures
Clinic teams seeking to upgrade their outdated systems have numerous options. Some common pathways include:
- Upgrading outdated electronic data capture, clinical trial management, or internal administrative systems to secure, cloud-native versions.
- Migrating from fragmented, onsite databases to unified platforms that support secure data exchange.
- Building custom clinical software tailored to scheduling, intake, patient communications, financial workflows, and trial monitoring.
Depending on the use case, certain clinical operations would benefit from partial modernizations, while others may require complete end-to-end redevelopment. Opting for a more flexible architecture can support long-term growth if the team decides to scale in the future, such as expanding from clinical trials for wellness to more research in elder care.
Data Integrity and Compliance Throughout the Migration Cycle
A modern web infrastructure can reinforce compliance with applicable regulations.
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards: Safeguards participants’ payment and account details by following technical and operational requirements.
- ICH E6(R3) guideline for Good Clinical Practice: An ethical standard for trials involving human participants from the International Council for Harmonization (ICH). It tenets are supported by regulatory authorities in many countries, including Canada and the United States.
Responsible modernization can enhance patient experience and internal processes, while also strengthening security and compliance for future trials.
Building Resilient, Patient-Centered Clinical Operations
Clinical units can meet the growing and evolving needs of their trials’ scientific designs, internal management considerations, and sponsor and regulatory oversight expectations by modernizing their digital foundations. Thoughtful migration, from internal workflows to enhancing the patient experience, can strengthen operational clarity and build trust with participants.
When executed strategically, modernization becomes an upgrade that enables teams to innovate confidently, scale into such new areas as wellness and elder-care research, and continue delivering patient-centered care without disrupting active trials.
Jerzy Zawadzki is the Chief Technology Officer at Polcode, in Poland, where he’s been a key part of the team for more than 16 years. With a deep focus on building the right environment for high-quality software projects, he ensures that teams have the structure, mindset, and support needed to deliver outstanding results. Jerzy is driven by the belief that technology should directly support the client’s business goals, turning ideas into scalable, effective solutions.
