We’ve all heard the maxim that “bigger is not better,” but who is really paying attention to it in the clinical research enterprise? One expert observer says that, as clinical research site networks expand through acquisitions, partnerships, new site activations, and geographic growth, the challenge extends beyond increasing the number of locations. She notes that, particularly for advanced and complex therapies, sustainable expansion requires operational infrastructure, governance, and site readiness to keep pace with network growth.
In her upcoming presentation for ACRP 2027 (April 30–May 3 in San Diego, Calif.) on “Scaling What Works: High-Performing Networks for Advanced Therapies,” Rachana Kanvinde, MS, SFC, CCRP, Founder and Principal of Arusha Strategies, will explore what it really takes to scale site networks for advanced and complex therapies without sacrificing quality, consistency, or site-level effectiveness. Sustainable scale comes from building the right operational foundation, and not simply expanding the footprint, she warns.
“Part of my goal is to shine a spotlight on the role of infrastructure maturity and site readiness in supporting advanced and complex trials,” says Kanvinde, who is also President of the ACRP Atlanta Area Chapter. “Further, I want to share some insights with attendees about building governance and operational consistency across a network while preserving appropriate local flexibility.”
Scaling What Works: High-Performing Networks for Advanced Therapies
Join Rachana at ACRP 2027 [April 30-May 3; San Diego, Calif.] as she addresses how traditional network expansion models often prioritize site volume over infrastructure maturity and proposes strategies for tackling the resulting challenges in study start-up, oversight, execution, and scalability. View complete schedule.
In the quest to build larger research capacity across broader and/or more complex indications, stakeholders in site networks supporting the clinical trials industry are challenged by the need to reduce operational variability through clearer workflows, roles, and accountability, Kanvinde adds. Her interest in how the pieces all fit together comes from more than 20 years of experience as a clinical operations executive leading multisite research networks involved in gene therapy, oncology, rare disease, and advanced therapeutic clinical trials.
“Strengthening alignment across sites and network leadership to support more consistent execution is no small feat, but it is critical to the long-term success of any expansion a network undertakes,” Kanvinde explains. “The good news is that practical approaches exist that organizations can use to assess readiness and build sustainable capability as they scale.”
Edited by Gary Cramer
