What I Learned at SCRS West: A Glimpse into the Future of Site Operations

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the SCRS West Site Solutions Summit in sunny Scottsdale. The summit was much more than just participating in another industry event for me—it was an essential opportunity to deepen my understanding of our key users: site staff and clinical research leaders.

As a Client Lead at 4G Clinical, my role involves working closely with sponsors to ensure our RTSM solutions are aligned with study needs, but that’s only half the picture. To truly deliver value, I also need to understand the daily realities of the sites who use our systems. By connecting with site staff directly, I gain insights into how our technology impacts their workflows, their ability to support patients, and the overall efficiency of a trial. These are things you simply can’t learn from the sidelines.

The Strategic Value of Attending SCRS as a CL at 4G

Attending the SCRS Site Solutions Summit was much more than just participating in another industry event. For me, it was an essential opportunity to deepen my understanding of our key users: site staff and clinical research leaders. As a Client Lead at 4G, it’s critical that I connect directly with those on the ground to fully grasp the real challenges they face beyond the technology we provide.

What stood out to me was how important it is to see clinical trial sites not just as research hubs, but as dynamic businesses with evolving operational needs. Independent sites and large site networks are constantly balancing efficiency with patient care, and every tool or process impacts patient care at the end of the day. And from our standpoint as a vendor, we should take every chance we have to continue to provide intuitive workflows and quality site training materials.  

By attending SCRS, I was able to gain firsthand insights that will help me better advocate for user-centric solutions and ensure our services align closely with the realities of clinical trial execution. This perspective directly supports 4G’s commitment to delivering solutions that empower sites and improve participant experiences.

The most valuable insight came from speaking directly with sites. These aren’t second-hand insights passed through sponsors or CROs, they’re real conversations with the people running trials day-to-day. Listening to site leaders speak candidly about their pain points, workarounds, and needs gave me a far clearer view of how we, as vendors, can be better partners. It reinforced that meaningful innovation comes from listening first.

Learning How Collaboration Is Reshaping Site-Sponsor Relationships

A strong theme throughout the conference was collaboration. It was refreshing to see such a strong, genuine focus on collaboration across the clinical trial ecosystem, a level of openness and alignment that’s not always visible from the outside.

Despite the fact that many of these groups might be considered “competitors” in other settings, the shared priority of delivering a better participant experience brought people together. I heard the phrase “a rising tide lifts all boats” more than once and it truly resonated.

AI: From Buzzword to Real-World Applications—what I learned and what It Means for 4G

Artificial Intelligence was one of the biggest topics at the summit, and it quickly became clear that AI is no longer just a buzzword or something off in the future, it’s actively shaping how we work today.

A highlight for me was a keynote presentation showcasing an AI tool capable of taking a protocol and instantly generating visual overviews, detailed schedules, dose breakdowns, and planning implications right down to the site level. Seeing AI applied in this way really drove home how it can help streamline some of the most time-consuming parts of study design and site planning.

During an AI breakout session, I also learned how sites are already leveraging AI to enhance patient materials—simplifying brochures by localizing language or adjusting readability to improve accessibility. Others shared examples of AI-powered phone agents used for pre-screening and scheduling visits. While some sites are naturally cautious, vendors have been addressing this by keeping AI tightly scripted and supervised, using human-in-the-loop models to ensure control and quality.

At 4G, we’re watching these developments closely because they directly align with our mission to improve clinical trial operations through smart technology. Integrating AI thoughtfully could significantly reduce administrative burdens for sites and help create a smoother, more patient-friendly trial experience. It’s clear that as a company, we’ll need to be proactive in exploring and potentially adopting AI-driven tools that support our users and clients.

Final Thoughts

Attending SCRS West opened my eyes to the broader context in which we operate. It reinforced the importance of keeping site experiences top-of-mind in everything we do—from simplifying IRT interfaces to reducing friction in multi-platform environments.

There’s also a clear takeaway when it comes to AI: this isn’t something to fear, but something to explore thoughtfully and collaboratively. The more we understand and implement AI, the more we can contribute to better outcomes for sites, sponsors, and, most importantly, patients.

At 4G Clinical, we’re committed to staying ahead of these conversations. Because when we support the people at the heart of clinical research, we move one step closer to our mission:  Let the Science Lead