To understand key unmet needs of clinical trial sites? through primary market research analyzed against hypotheticals, we will review different types of trial sites to further refine persona characteristics, drivers and behaviors, goals, pain points, expectations for sponsors, and key information sources. The goal is to develop a targeted engagement model curated for a respective trial site enhancing the collaboration, productivity and relationship.

Africa conducts just 3% of global clinical trials despite a high and diverse disease burden. This session presents ACRN’s model for transforming fragmented sites into a federated, audit-ready network enabling scalable trial delivery across emerging markets. By integrating robust digital infrastructure, AI-enabled analytics, standardized operations, regulatory alignment, and community-centered recruitment, ACRN accelerates site readiness and improves participant access. The model offers a clear pathway to increasing Africa’s share of global trials to 15% while strengthening data quality, efficiency, and equity.

Despite years of industry focus on digital innovation, clinical trial sites continue to struggle with the same technology burdens: fragmented systems, duplicated tasks, and workflows that don’t reflect how sites actually operate. Our research highlights a core issue behind these long-standing challenges: sponsors and vendors often design or choose technology without deeply understanding site realities. This session explores what we learned from extensive site engagement, why short-term fixes aren’t enough, and how truly impactful change requires rethinking our approach—starting with listening, mapping real workflows, and adapting technology to people, not the other way around.