The 'Before & After' Case Study: Valley Veterinary vs. Peak Paws Research
Imagine two veterinary clinical research sites, both dedicated to advancing animal health. One, Valley Veterinary, is drowning in paperwork and struggling to keep up. The other, Peak Paws Research, is thriving, efficient, and making a real impact. The difference? Peak Paws embraced traac.
Before: Valley Veterinary - A Sea of Paperwork
Valley Veterinary was facing common challenges in veterinary clinical research:
- Endless Paper Forms: Consent forms, patient history, daily logs – mountains of paper filled filing cabinets and stressed staff.
- Manual Data Entry: Staff spent hours transcribing data from paper forms into databases, prone to errors and incredibly time-consuming.
- Printing Costs: Constantly printing new forms, updates to protocols, and adverse event reports ate into the budget.
- Limited Participant Engagement: Relying on phone calls and mailed letters to update pet owners on trial progress led to low engagement and frequent dropouts.
- Compliance Headaches: Ensuring all documents were properly signed, dated, and stored for audits was a constant worry.
The Cost of Chaos: Valley Veterinary estimated they were spending approximately $3,000 per month on printing, $5,000 per month on staff hours dedicated to manual data entry and paperwork management, and $1,000 per month on postage and phone calls for participant communication. That's a staggering $9,000 a month, or $108,000 per year, wasted on inefficient processes!
After: Peak Paws Research - Efficiency Unleashed with traac
Peak Paws Research recognized the limitations of traditional methods and embraced a digital-first approach with traac. Here’s how they transformed their operations:
- Dynamic QR Codes for Digital Forms: Replaced paper consent forms and daily logs with dynamic QR codes that link directly to secure, mobile-friendly online forms. Pet owners can easily complete forms on their smartphones or tablets.
- Automated Data Collection: Data submitted through online forms is automatically captured and stored in a secure database, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors.
- Reduced Printing Costs: Significantly reduced printing by using QR codes for accessing study information, updates, and adverse event reporting forms.
- Enhanced Participant Engagement: Used shortlinks to send SMS messages and emails with personalized updates and reminders, leading to higher engagement and lower dropout rates.
- Simplified Compliance: traac's platform automatically tracks form submissions, timestamps, and user details, making it easier to demonstrate compliance during audits.
The Savings are Real: Peak Paws Research reduced their printing costs to just $500 per month, data entry staff hours by 75% (saving $3,750), and communication costs to $200 per month. That's a total monthly savings of $7,050, or $84,600 per year!
The Breakdown: Where the Money Went
Let's look at a clearer breakdown of where exactly the savings came from:
- Paper & Printing: Valley Veterinary spent $3,000/month. Peak Paws: $500/month. Savings: $2,500/month
- Manual Data Entry: Valley Veterinary spent $5,000/month. Peak Paws: $1,250/month. Savings: $3,750/month
- Participant Communication: Valley Veterinary spent $1,000/month. Peak Paws: $200/month. Savings: $800/month
- TOTAL MONTHLY SAVINGS: $7,050
Beyond Cost Savings: The Unquantifiable Benefits
While the cost savings are impressive, the benefits of using traac extend far beyond just dollars and cents:
- Improved Data Quality: Eliminating manual data entry reduces errors and ensures data accuracy.
- Increased Efficiency: Streamlining processes frees up staff to focus on more important tasks, such as patient care and research.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Centralized data storage and access improves collaboration between researchers and staff.
- Better Participant Experience: Easy access to information and personalized communication improves the overall experience for pet owners participating in trials.
- Competitive Advantage: By embracing technology, Peak Paws Research positioned themselves as a leader in the field, attracting more clients and funding opportunities.
Real-World Examples of traac in Action
Here are some specific ways Peak Paws Research used traac to optimize their operations:
- QR Codes on Patient Collars: A QR code attached to a patient's collar linked to their digital file, allowing staff to quickly access important information during appointments.
- Shortlinks in Email Campaigns: Shortlinks in email campaigns directed pet owners to online surveys and questionnaires, making it easy to collect valuable feedback.
- Dynamic QR Codes for Adverse Event Reporting: Dynamic QR codes posted in waiting areas allowed pet owners to easily report any adverse events experienced by their pets during the trial. These can also be set to shut down at a certain number of uses, preventing misuse.
- Branded Shortlinks for Trial Recruitment: Branded shortlinks made it easier to track the performance of different recruitment channels and optimize marketing efforts. E.g. traac.to/FidoTrial – very shareable.