Read the Full Interview: Dana Feuchtbaum’s full interview is featured in the Spring 2025 issue of International Clinical Trials magazine. You can access it here.
In the rapidly evolving world of clinical research, sites are the backbone of progress and yet, they remain one of the most under-supported parts of the research ecosystem. At Iterative Health, we believe that sustainable, well-resourced research sites are critical to accelerating the delivery of life-changing therapies. But building and maintaining sustainable sites requires far more than just infrastructure — it requires strategic investment in people, processes, and partnerships.
Our Chief Product Officer, Dana Feuchtbaum, recently spoke with International Clinical Trials magazine about the challenges facing research sites and the urgent need to invest in long-term sustainability. Her insights reflect what we see every day in the field: clinical research sites are stretched thin, yet expected to do more than ever before.
The Site Sustainability Challenge
Research sites today face a perfect storm of operational complexity, staffing shortages, and financial uncertainty. Clinical research coordinators (CRCs) are turning over at rates exceeding 30%, and more than half have fewer than three years of experience. At the same time, protocols have become more demanding — with studies often requiring more than 170 procedures across a short timeline — placing even greater pressure on coordinators and investigators alike.
Even more concerning: over half of research sites enroll one or fewer patients per study, and nearly 90% of U.S.-based trials fail to meet enrollment targets on time. In high-demand therapeutic areas like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where trial volume has increased but patient prevalence remains low, this issue is even more acute.
What Makes a Clinical Research Site Sustainable?
According to Dana, the sustainability of a research site depends on three core pillars:
Experienced, Engaged Teams
Great trials begin with great people. Skilled coordinators and principal investigators not only execute protocols, they build trust with patients, communicate effectively, and serve as champions for clinical research within their communities.
Efficient, Scalable Operations
Sites need structured, repeatable workflows that reduce manual burden and allow teams to execute multiple studies simultaneously without compromising quality or patient experience.
Financial Viability and Study Fit
A healthy site isn’t just about getting more studies, it’s about securing the right studies. Those that align with the site’s patient population, provide operational feasibility, and offer long-term value (e.g., extensions, novel therapeutics, or patient-centric designs).
Without these building blocks, sites risk burning out their staff, missing enrollment goals, and ultimately falling behind through no fault of their own.
The Role of Tech-Enabled Services and Strategic Partners
Sustainability doesn’t happen by accident, it requires collaboration. Iterative Health helps research sites manage the full scope of their operational, regulatory, and staffing needs through a mix of technology, services, and strategic consulting.
From study start-up to ongoing patient engagement, we reduce the administrative load on PIs and CRCs, integrate tools into existing workflows, and help sites plan for long-term growth. Our tailored onboarding and continuous training programs in areas like compliance, patient communications, and financial forecasting give teams the confidence and capacity to scale.
Technology alone isn’t the answer, it has to be embedded with intention and support. Over half of CRCs report difficulty integrating new platforms. Our approach ensures tools enhance performance, not hinder it.
Why This Matters for Sponsors and Patients
Sustainable sites benefit everyone in the clinical trial ecosystem.
- For sponsors, sustainable sites consistently enroll patients, meet deadlines, and maintain high-quality data — reducing trial risk and accelerating time to market.
- For patients, it means broader access to trials and earlier availability of innovative therapies.
- For the industry, it’s the only path forward to meet growing research demands without burning out the very teams driving innovation.
As Dana said in her interview: “By focusing on the needs of research sites — from staffing and training to operations and financial health — we not only strengthen the infrastructure of clinical research but also accelerate the delivery of therapies that change lives.”
About Iterative Health
Iterative Health is a healthcare technology and services company powering the acceleration of clinical research to transform patient outcomes. By combining deep expertise in clinical trials with cutting-edge AI, we empower research teams and study sponsors to expand and expedite access to novel therapeutics for patients in need. Today, Iterative Health is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and New York City with 250+ employees world-wide.
To learn more or explore a partnership, please visit our Contact page.