Author: Elizabeth Morris, Director of Product Management, Patient Engagement, Suvoda
Snapshot:
- Unified apps reduce patient and site burden: Bringing patient questionnaires, scheduling, travel, and payments together in one app helps patients and sites better manage trial activities.
- Patients deserve a streamlined trial experience: Patients routinely say that trial information is scattered across systems, causing confusion and frustration.
- Reminders strengthen patient engagement: Automated notifications—whether for visits, medication, or diaries—help patients stay organized and keep studies running smoothly.
Clinical trials are complex undertakings. For sites and sponsors, every study involves balancing regulatory requirements, scientific rigor, and operational timelines. For patients, it can mean juggling travel logistics, site visit schedules, questionnaires, as well as expenses and reimbursements—all while managing the physical and emotional burdens of participating in a trial and the long, often unsuccessful health care journey to this point.
Historically, the way those logistics are managed has added another layer of complexity, with an array of disconnected systems and devices: one for eCOA, another for scheduling, another for travel, and still another for payments. Each individual tool may serve its purpose well, but the experience can feel fragmented and frustrating—for both patients and sites.
The next evolution in clinical trial technology is unification: bringing these components into a single, cohesive experience that simplifies operations and strengthens engagement. That’s the idea behind Suvoda’s new patient app.
The case for prioritizing streamlined patient engagement
Patients are central to a trial’s success and are already giving so much of their time and effort. At Suvoda, we try to reduce their burden as much as possible and provide them with everything they need right in their pocket, because we've seen that when trial information is scattered across emails, paperwork, phone calls, and different software, people aren’t sure where to turn.
A unified patient app empowers patients, but it also reduces burdens on study teams. For example, when a patient completes a questionnaire or schedules a visit, that information is immediately available to site teams—no duplicate entry or delayed updates. Stipend and reimbursement payments can be processed quickly, closing the loop between patient activity and operational processes.
This approach doesn’t just make things easier;, it helps build trust. Patients see clear, consistent information about what’s expected of them. Sites gain confidence that data is synchronized and accurate. And sponsors can focus less on troubleshooting systems and managing vendors and more on getting critical therapies to market.
Listening to patients—and sites
Building a unified digital experience starts with understanding the daily realities of those who use it. In a global survey conducted by CISCRP, 63% of clinical trial participants said that a smartphone app for data collection was a very helpful service to have during a study.1 That insight aligns with what we’ve heard directly from patients in our own user research: people want fewer logins, clearer instructions, and simpler ways to complete study tasks. By the time people are involved in a clinical trial, they already have a lot on their mind. A convenient mobile app can be key to making the trial easier for them.
Patients aren’t the only ones under pressure. Site coordinators face time constraints, budget limitations, and administrative demands. They often serve as the main point of contact when participants need help with technology. When a single app covers scheduling, questionnaires, travel, payments, and appointment reminders, it reduces the number of systems coordinators need to support—reducing burden and freeing site staff to focus on care rather than troubleshooting or logistics.
By designing with both patient and site perspectives in mind, we aimed to create an experience that feels intuitive to patients and operationally efficient for sites. Every feature in the Suvoda app was designed with that shared simplicity in mind.
Reducing dropout through better design
Retention remains a persistent challenge in clinical trials—and a costly one with the average cost of recruiting a new patient if one is lost due to non-compliance being nearly $20,000.2 When patients withdraw, it’s often because participation feels too demanding. Each missed visit, lost receipt, or confusing instruction can add friction to an already complicated journey.
While technology can’t remove all of those barriers, it can reduce the avoidable ones. A single app that handles scheduling, eCOA, travel, and reimbursements removes guesswork and provides reassurance. Patients can see their tasks, plan upcoming visits, view travel details, and get reimbursed in real time with visibility into payment status—all in one place.
As an added benefit, an app can be configured to help patients stay engaged with helpful reminders—whether it’s to confirm an appointment, complete a daily diary entry, or take medication at a prescribed time. These small nudges have a meaningful impact on compliance and data quality, supporting both patient well-being and study success.
An app powered by the Suvoda Platform
The relaunch of our patient app also marks an important milestone in Suvoda’s broader journey. Following the merger with Greenphire, we’ve brought together two organizations with a shared vision: to simplify the clinical trial experience for everyone involved.
The app is a tangible example of our unified vision in action. By combining Suvoda’s eClinical technology with Greenphire’s financial and travel expertise, we’re building a platform that supports the full patient journey—from enrollment through completion. And because it’s all powered by the Suvoda Platform, sponsors and CROs gain greater visibility into both patient engagement and operational performance.
As our industry continues to innovate, focusing on patient engagement with unified patient technology will play an important role in making trials more efficient, accessible, and human-centered.
Author
Elizabeth Morris
Director of Product Management, Patient Engagement, Suvoda
References:
- 2025 CISCRP Perceptions and Insights Study
- James B. Engaging Patients With Behavioral Science and Patient-Centered Technology. Applied Clinical Trials Online. April 28, 2023. https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/engaging-patients-with-behavioral-science-and-patient-centered-technology