TrialPilot studies happen at home by default. Some things still need a clinic: an infusion, a scan, a supervised first dose. Sites exist for those moments only. Each site visit says why it can't happen at home, and the rest of the study stays remote.
Decentralized first#
A visit in the schedule is remote unless you mark it as a site visit. A site visit needs a reason, such as “DXA scan”, and the capabilities a site must have to host it. TrialPilot keeps the design honest:
- At least half of the required visits must stay remote. A study with required site visits is listed to participants as mostly remote, with occasional site visits.
- Before the study can open, every required site visit needs at least one open site able to host it.
- The burden estimate participants see includes travel time for site visits.
Adding and opening sites#
Open Sites from the study navigation. Each site has a number, an address, a principal investigator, its capabilities (for example imaging or specimen processing) and a weekly capacity. One site can be the lead site that holds the IND.
A site opens for visits only after its readiness checklist is complete.
| Readiness item | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| Contract executed | The site agreement is signed. |
| IRB reliance documented | The site relies on the study IRB. |
| PI delegation log | Delegated duties are recorded. |
| Staff trained | Site staff are trained on the protocol. |
| Site initiation visit | The initiation visit happened. |
| Supplies ready | Supplies for site activities are in place. |
A site can be put on hold or closed with a reason. A site can't close while it still oversees participants. Move them first.
Site of record#
Every remote participant has a site of record: the site whose PI oversees them while they take part from home. You can assign one participant, or put everyone without a site under an open site in one step. A transfer needs a reason and keeps the history.
The site of record is used across the study:
- A participant's site visit goes to their own site when it can host it.
- A randomization stratification factor sourced from the site is filled in from the site of record.
- In the app, participants see whose team oversees them, with the clinic's phone number.
Monitoring by site#
The monitoring board recomputes missing data, stale contact, visit adherence and deviation load for each site of record, with the same thresholds as the study board. Operational performance shows an enrollment forecast for each site, checked against what actually happened. See Monitor participants.
Addresses are the clinic's, never the participant's