Download Successful Communication between Sites, CROs

Successful Communication between Sites, CROs,
and Sponsors
Caryn Hussar, MS
Site Network Manager, Quintiles
© Copyright 2016 Quintiles
Overview
• Common barriers to effective communication
• Working together to overcome these barriers
• Communication best practices and skills
• The Who, When, and How of Communication
• The GROW technique
• Putting skills into practice—scenarios.
• Why successful communication is important
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“The single biggest problem
in communication
is the illusion that it has taken
place.”
~George Bernard Shaw
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Discussion: think of a situation when there was a breakdown in communication. What
caused it?
Think about someone with whom you communicate well—what qualities does your
communication have?
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Common Barriers to Effective Communication
What gets in the way of our ability to understand and be understood?
Volume
• The sheer amount of e-mail, telephone calls, text messages, and instant messages we receive in
a day can be daunting.
• Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to prioritize when we are “getting hit from all sides.”
Multitasking
• We are all so busy that we resort to multitasking out of necessity, even when it’s not the most
efficient way to get things done.
• Constant interruptions and distractions can prevent us from truly processing information.
Cultural/Language/Mode of Communication Barriers
• We work in a global environment.
• It’s sometimes difficult to gauge tone from an e-mail, which can result in potential
misunderstandings. It’s important to choose the right mode of communication for your message.
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How can we work together to overcome these barriers?
Practical solutions for improved quality of communication in our work environment
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Communication Best Practices
Handle conflicts with diplomacy.
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Nip issues in the bud.
Keep conversations confidential.
Stay open-minded and nonjudgmental.
No personal attacks.
Give good feedback.
• Make it clear and detailed.
• Propose solutions if there is a problem.
• Don’t forget positive feedback.
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Communication Best Practices
Take emotions out of the equation.
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Don’t make it personal.
Ask for clarification to make sure you are on the same page.
Make sure your intentions aren’t misconstrued.
Take a deep breath, count to 10.
Don’t just hear, listen.
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Pretend there will be a quiz.
Try to keep a mental checklist.
Recall 3 things the person said.
Repeat back what the person said.
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Tips to remember for good
communication
• LISTEN: communication does not just mean
speaking, it involves listening.
• Pay attention to non-verbal communication, your
own and others’.
• Know your audience.
• The message sent isn’t always the message
received.
• Get to the point.
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Tips to remember for good
communication
• Pay attention to non-verbal signals:
• Be aware of individual differences.
• Don’t read too much into a single gesture or cue—consider
signals as a whole.
• Match non-verbal with verbal.
• Adjust to the context.
• Use body language to convey positive feelings.
• Engaged listening:
• Focus fully on the speaker.
• Avoid interrupting.
• Show interest in what’s being said.
• Try to set aside judgement.
• Provide feedback.
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Tips to remember for good
communication
• Keep stress in check:
› Stay calm under pressure.
› Pause to collect thoughts. Use stalling tactics if necessary.
› Speak clearly.
› Make one point.
› Summarize then stop.
• Assert yourself:
› Value yourself and your opinions.
› Know your needs and wants.
› Express thoughts in a positive way.
› Receive feedback positively.
› Learn to say no—Know your limits..
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The Who, When, and How of Communication
Making communication efficient and effective.
Who
Who can help me?
When
On-site monitoring visits
How
E-mail
• Study Start-up Team
• Site Selection Visits
• CRA—your first point of
contact
• Site Initiation Visits
• Concise and clear (less than 4
sentences when possible)
• Interim Monitoring Visits
• Provides a trail
• Project Team/Medical Monitor
• Site Network Manager
Investigator Meetings
• Sponsor, Sites, & CRO
together
• Great F2F opportunity
Day-to-Day
• Set aside time
• When urgent, don’t hesitate to
use the phone
Face-to-Face*
• Good for involved discussions
• Less room for confusion
Phone*
• Best for immediate needs or
questions that might cause too
much “back & forth” in e-mail.
*reminder to document any F2F
discussions or phone calls in a
follow-up e-mail.
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The GROW technique
• What is the common objective?
GOAL
• What is the current situation? What obstacles are there to
meeting the goal?
REALITY • Issues, challenges, how far away are we from the goal?
OPTIONS
• Using brainstorming and collaboration to determine several
possible options.
•
WAY
Choosing one of more options and working together
towards the goal. Action steps.
FORWARD
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Putting Communication Skills Into
Action
Scenario 1
•Your CRA has contacted you regarding
open queries that need to be closed for a
database lock. She is asking that they be
done by the end of the day. Your schedule
is packed today with seeing patients. How
would you approach this situation?
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Putting Communication Skills Into
Action
Scenario 2
You are working on a study in which
enrollment has slowed down. The sponsor
has asked the CRA to discuss recruitment at
your site. One of the issues is that there is
an exclusion criteria that is preventing you
from enrolling subjects as quickly as the
sponsor would like. How would you handle
the discussion with the CRA?
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Putting Communication Skills Into
Action
Scenario 3
Your CRA has just been on site for a 2-day visit.
When you checked in with him, he said that
everything was going fine and didn’t provide any
feedback. Several days later, you get a follow-up
letter with a long list of Action Items, some of which
could have been addressed during the visit. How
would you respond to this?
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Why is successful communication so important?
• Our jobs are patient-centric. Successful communication allows us to:
› safely care for the patients currently in our studies.
› contribute to the development of medications for future patients.
• It saves time.
› it cuts down or eliminates re-work—helps everyone “get it right the first time.”
› it minimizes back & forth e-mails and phone calls.
• It prevents frustration.
› knowing your “go-to” people will speed up the process to getting answers you need.
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How else does communicating well benefit me?
Good communication skills:
• Are sought after
› Writing skills
› Presentation skills
• Are critical for leadership.
• Are recognized as part of a manager skill set.
• May improve your chances of employment or promotion.
• Will set you apart.
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Summary
• We encounter barriers to effective communication on a daily basis.
• These barriers to communication can be overcome by working together.
• Knowing the who, when, and how of communication will facilitate this.
• Successful communication is vital for the best patient care, efficiency, and
minimal frustration.
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Questions?
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Safety and care of patients are at the center of
our core values and everything we do.
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