GUIDE TO OUTSOURCING: OUTSOURCING NEWS

In response to the company's growth, clinical research firm eResearch Technology Inc. (ERT) is moving to a new facility in Philadelphia. The site houses ERT's headquarters and logistics operations. It was designed with an open environment in mind to promote a workspace that enhances productivity and encourages internal collaboration.

According to Amy Furlong, executive vice president of cardiac safety operations at ERT, the company decided to move after experiencing 20% year-over-year growth for the past five years. As ERT began to expand its services and the electrocardiograph (ECG) equipment it provided, the company needed a larger space.
The 58,000-sq-ft facility is more than double the size of the company's previous building. It features a 16,000-sq-ft logistics operations facility with access to a secure area, and private entry to the loading bay used to send equipment to sponsor sites. The area has been customized to support test requirements for ECG equipment as well.
“We will continue to focus on cardiac safety in terms of providing high-quality data that can be submitted to regulatory agencies,” Furlong says. “Our organization is continuing to enhance service offerings both through the ECG acquisition devices and supporting other technology that's in the field, [as well as through] communication methods with our customers.”
At the beginning of June, ERT also launched a new product called My Study Portal, which allows the investigator sites to communicate with ERT via a Web portal. Rather than e-mail or call the company's helpdesk, customers have immediate access to key study information. They can also order supplies, retrieve reports, and resolve data queries online in real time.
ERT is a clinical research organization that provides cardiac safety services for the drug, biotech, and device industries. The company deploys ECG machines to investigator sites, collects data digitally, analyzes the data, and provides reports for the site. It also offers data management assistance and site support. Copyright ©2009 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry