Going paper-free in early phase trials with Joe Erato

Going paper-free in early phase trials with Joe Erato

From Clinical Data Talks by CRScube

October 1, 2025 · 27 min · Season 2 · Episode 2

About this episode

Joe Erato discusses the challenges and transformations of running early phase clinical trials without paper.

Sylvain Berthelot sits down with Joe Erato, Chief Operations Officer at Spaulding Clinical. Together, they explore what it really takes to run early phase studies without paper – and why the transition to fully electronic systems can be both challenging and transformative. Joe shares how Spaulding Clinical was founded with a vision to "take clinical research into the next generation using technology," and what it meant to implement paper-free processes from the very beginning. He reflects on the steep learning curve, the risks of being first to adopt, and the operational upheaval required to shift an entire unit away from legacy methods. Sylvain and Joe discuss the importance of integration to reduce manual entry, how real-time data capture accelerates decision-making and improves quality, and why designing systems around the patient experience is critical to compliance and study success. Tune in to hear how Spaulding Clinical built its operations from the ground up, the lessons learned along the way, and what going truly paper-free means for the future of clinical trials.

People in this episode

Host: Sylvain Berthelot

Guest: Joe Erato

Topics covered

  • early phase trials
  • paper-free processes
  • clinical research
  • technology in clinical trials
  • data integration
  • patient experience

Keywords

  • clinical trials
  • electronic systems
  • real-time data capture
  • compliance
  • study success

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Spaulding Clinical

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