Breaking the Bottleneck: Rethinking Study Start-Up for Faster Trial Activation

 Study start-up remains one of the most persistent bottlenecks in clinical trials—slowing site activation, delaying patient enrollment, and adding pressure across already stretched teams. In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, host Jamie Harper, Vice President of Site Solutions & Engagement at WCG, is joined by Stephanie Held, Associate Director of Coverage Analysis, and Jody Ingebritsen‑Howe, Director of Contracts & Budgets, to unpack why start-up timelines continue to stall and what can be done to improve them.

Together, they explore how Medicare Coverage Analysis (MCA) serves as the foundation for compliant and efficient study start-up, how downstream processes like budgeting, contract negotiations, and CTMS build are impacted by early decisions, and where “hidden” white space can quietly derail timelines.

The conversation also highlights practical, actionable steps sites and sponsors can take today—from mapping end‑to‑end workflows to better equipping negotiators with the information they need.

Looking ahead, the panel discusses how technology and AI may reshape study activation, while emphasizing the importance of human expertise and alignment across teams. Whether you’re a site, sponsor, or CRO, this episode offers timely insights to help accelerate activation and reduce friction in an increasingly complex trial landscape.

Host:

Jamie Harper, vice president, Site Solutions & Engagement

Guests:

Stephanie Held, associate director, Coverage Analysis

Jody Ingebritsen-Howe, director, Contracts & Budgets