Clinical Trial Site Selection Study
Sponsors, CROs, and site networks evaluate feasibility signals, patient recruitment capacity, and investigator readiness across candidate sites, so you can sharpen site activation timelines, reduce screen failure rates, and benchmark portfolio allocation by therapeutic area.
CONTEXT & RELEVANCE
Why run this survey now
Most sponsors don't lose trial timelines purely on patient recruitment speed. They lose them due to investigator capability gaps, site infrastructure mismatches, regulatory readiness shortfalls, patient population misalignment, and protocol complexity fit failures, none of which fully show up in feasibility questionnaires or site performance databases.
If you are...
- Sponsor site selection lead
- CRO feasibility and operations head
- Clinical development VP
- Regulatory and site activation director
- Trial portfolio strategy lead
You're likely facing...
- Site capability vs. protocol fit gap
- Enrollment delays: activation to first patient
- Established sites = reliable but slow
- New sites = fast but under-vetted
- Retention drop-off mid-trial
This will help answer...
- Site selection criteria by indication
- Activation-to-enrollment delay drivers
- Investigator experience tier segmentation
- Budget vs. site quality trade-offs
- Dropout and retention risk signals
RESEARCH THEMES
What This Survey Investigates
Eight interconnected research themes that map the complete site selection journey from feasibility assessment to site performance closeout.
Site Discovery & Sourcing
- Sponsor-initiated vs. CRO-led sourcing
- Feasibility outreach channels used
Feasibility & Selection
- Feasibility questionnaire burden and turnaround
- Selection criteria ranked by sponsors
Regulatory & IRB Readiness
- IRB submission timelines by site type
- Regulatory bottlenecks at activation
Contract & Budget Friction
- Cycle time from LOI to executed CTA
- Budget negotiation sticking points
Patient Recruitment & Retention
- Enrollment rate vs. projected targets
- Screen failure and dropout drivers
Site Staff & Capacity
- Coordinator-to-trial ratio and burnout signals
- Training burden per new protocol
Technology & Data Systems
- EDC and CTMS adoption by site tier
- Interoperability gaps with sponsor platforms
Sponsor & CRO Relations
- CRA visit frequency and oversight burden
- Sponsor preference: large network vs. independent
SAMPLING STRATEGY
Tell us about your ideal sample
Help us understand your target respondent profile. Select what applies, we'll design the optimal sample plan based on your inputs.
METHODOLOGY
Survey approach
For the Clinical Trial Site Selection Study, we recommend a quant-first design with flexible data-collection modes to balance reach, depth, and verification across investigator sites and sponsor teams.
EXECUTION PROCESS
How we execute
A proven 9-step process from scoping to delivery, designed to ensure quality, speed, and actionable insights.
Define the decision frame
Confirm objectives, target cohorts, geographies, and reporting cuts
Define the decision frame
Design the instrument
Build workstream modules mapped to outputs (drivers, friction, pricing, retention, trust)
Design the instrument
Lock the questionnaire
Review wording, sequencing, LOI, and competitive context; approve final version
Lock the questionnaire
Pilot and calibrate
Test comprehension and ease quality; refine quotas and remove friction where needed
Pilot and calibrate
Run fieldwork
Execute collection with active quota management and feasibility controls
Run fieldwork
Assure quality
Dedupe, attention checks, speed/consistency rules, removals with audit trail
Assure quality
Prepare the dataset
Clean data and deliver codebook/variable definitions
Prepare the dataset
Analyse and synthesise
Driver ranking, leakage diagnostics, pricing bands, segment insights
Analyse and synthesise
Deliver and align
Executive deck (optional dashboard) and leadership readout with recommendations
Deliver and align
COMMERCIAL TERMS
Request a Commercial Proposal
Pricing depends on cohort, geography, sample size, approach, LOI, and deliverables. Configure below for an indicative estimate.
Select Sample Size
Geography
Select Mode of Survey
Length of the Interview
$0.00
+ applicable taxes
Cost Breakdown
Note: Estimate is indicative only. Final pricing is subject to scope finalization after discovery call.
REFERENCE CASELETS
Reference
Real-world examples of survey work in the clinical research site operations space.
Investigator site capacity & feasibility perception mapping (India)
OBJECTIVE
WHAT WE DID
DELIVERED
Investigator site capacity & feasibility perception mapping (India)
Sponsor preference & site retention drivers among oncology investigators (Southeast Asia)
Investigator site capacity & feasibility perception mapping (India)
OBJECTIVE
A specialty CRO needed to map how principal investigators and site coordinators at tier-2 hospital sites evaluate feasibility commitments, assess protocol complexity, and decide whether to accept or decline incoming trial mandates.
WHAT WE DID
Ran a structured quant survey across 120 site staff spanning 6 therapeutic areas, capturing protocol review time, patient recruitment confidence scores, IRB turnaround expectations, and sponsor communication frequency preferences by site tier and staff seniority.
DELIVERED
A site feasibility perception map by therapeutic area, a ranked friction list across the pre-activation window, and a site readiness segment framework separating high-capacity sites from structurally constrained ones across 4 distinct profiles.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about this survey mandate.
What decisions will this survey enable?
Who is the buyer vs who are the respondents?
Can we see differences between academic medical centers, independent research sites and hybrid network sites?
How will you measure site selection preference beyond simple ratings?
Will the survey map the full site qualification journey and drop-offs?
Can this survey inform product and pricing strategy?
How will findings improve our site activation and enrollment performance?
Still have questions?
Schedule a discovery call to discuss your specific needs and get a custom quote.