CHICAGO – December 12, 2009

While the practice of outsourcing is nothing new to hospital systems and physician groups—particularly in the areas of administrative support, housekeeping and food service, there has been an upward trend in contracting out clinical services. Leading areas for outsourcing include dialysis services, sleep disorders, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services and physical therapy.

An emerging field for hospital outsourcing is clinical research and clinical trials management. As competition for patients and physicians increases, private medical facilities—community hospitals, physician groups, healthcare centers—are looking to differentiate themselves as industry leaders and augment revenue streams by operating clinical research departments in house.

While the benefits of housing a clinical research department are far reaching (Clinical Research Embraced by Leading Community Hospitals, Private Physician Groups Due to Extensive Benefits), getting started can be a daunting undertaking. Outsourcing this function can save an organization money through increased efficiencies and specialization, ensure access to state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure, free up hospital resources allowing management and staff to focus on core hospital business, increase employee knowledge of a specialized expertise, and offer new services to patients.
“Outsourcing within the healthcare industry is certainly becoming more commonplace in all areas of operation, especially as organizations are honing their core competencies, but sometimes the largest obstacle is convincing your own organization that an outside contractor can bring the expertise in house and operate within your framework to meet the organization’s goals,” says Kristin Hutchins, president of GuideStar® Clinical Trials Management. “Particularly for clinical research, partnering with a reputable, experienced clinical trial management contractor can lead to a faster start-up time, easier field entry, and greater chance for long-term success.”
Maximizing the outsourcing relationship is critical, and expectations should be clearly aligned at the onset of the engagement. When the legal and business issues are addressed before anything is signed, it can result in the creation of a positive and symbiotic partnership. Consider these points on setting an outsourcing relationship up for success from the consultants at Sun Microsystems:

Be clear about goals and expectations
Make sure your team understands what is motivating the move to outsourcing. Are you simply interested in cutting operations costs or do you expect the outsourcer to play a more strategic role in your operations? What exactly is the business problem you are trying to solve, and what role will the outsourcer play? Your answers to these questions will impact the relationship fundamentally, helping determine the amount of control you want to cede to the outsourcer, the nature of your communications, and the skill sets required.

Look for a partner, not a provider
Traditional models of outsourcing often lead to 'throw-it-over-the-fence' syndrome, where the client’s team and the outsourcer’s team are focused only on their assigned tasks and responsibilities. You want a true partnership that is focused on the business process and requirements rather than just skill sets and tools. Consider the outsourcer’s overall business experience as well as core capabilities and skill sets.

Scope the solution clearly from the get-go
Clarity in initially defining the scope of the solution, and the associated expectations, is likely the most important component of a successful relationship. Make sure you consider functional ownership, reporting structure, expected communications, and measurements for success.

Make communications a top priority
At kick-off, get consensus around making communications a top priority. All too often, failures in outsourcing relationships are the direct result of miscommunication—or no communication.

Evangelize collaboratively
It is important to identify and publicize early wins and successes, and to do so as a team. Tie an internal resource to the success of the project along with added incentives and/or compensation if possible, and highlight successes throughout both organizations to breed enthusiasm.

When engaging a contractor whose specialty is focused on a particular area of business, medical facilities benefit from the efficiencies and best practices that come with the partnership. GuideStar® Clinical Trials Management is a national clinical research company offering comprehensive trials services to medical facilities as a completely outsourced option. GuideStar® creates a facility’s research department seamlessly with internal teams through its existing industry relationships, experienced researchers and administrative teams, and in-depth knowledge of regulatory compliance.

About GuideStar

GuideStar® Clinical Trials Management is a comprehensive, outsourced clinical research company for health care organizations across the country. It provides “private label” clinical research departments for hospitals, physician practice groups and health care centers. Through GuideStar®, these facilities have a cost-effective means to be at the forefront of clinical trials for the benefit of patients, attractiveness to physicians, and enhancement of their own reputation.

GuideStar® holds in the highest regard the principles governing clinical research. It recognizes the precision of execution, efficiency and operational excellence needed to navigate client partners through the complex, multi-layered processes of FDA compliance and industry regulations. For more information, please visit www.GuideStarClinical.com.