A Step-by-Step Guide to Hosting a Successful Investigator Meeting

Investigator meetings are crucial for clinical trials. 

They help to align the study team, explain protocols and procedures, review safety data, and answer any questions. But hosting these events can be challenging—especially without the right tools and guidance.

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At Superevent, we’ve helped thousands of organizers from foundations like the European Association for Cancer Research and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) plan and execute successful investigator meetings. 

In the process, we’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to do to get the job done right. Read on for our step-by-step guide to hosting a successful investigator meeting.

What Is an Investigator Meeting?

Investigator meetings bring together medical professionals working on clinical trials or studies. They typically involve the sponsor, the investigator, and other research staff involved in the trial. These meetings aim to discuss all aspects of a trial and ensure that everything is running according to plan.

At an investigator meeting, you can expect to discuss topics like:

• Trial plans
• Regulatory compliance
• Protocol adherence
• Data integrity
• Quality control measures

You’ll also receive training on how to properly document and report information so that the results of a study or trial can be presented accurately.

Below are a few examples of real-world investigator meetings:

2023 CCSS Investigator Meeting

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The meeting discussed the long-term effects of cancer and therapy on childhood and adolescent cancer survivors. It aims to provide updates, research presentations, and opportunities for collaboration among investigators interested in childhood cancer survivorship research.

4th Annual NIH HEAL Initiative Investigator Meeting

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The meeting brought together researchers, federal officials, and stakeholders to share research findings and advance the initiative's goals. It will include panels, scientific symposia, discussion groups, networking, and poster sessions for in-person and virtual attendees.

Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Investigator Meetings

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This meeting, organized by the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Discovery, allows investigators to network, learn about new clinical proposals, and present them in a supportive environment. The upcoming virtual meeting on September 28-29, 2023, focuses on implementing health information technologies in critical care and provides valuable insights from subject matter experts in the field.

Why Are Investigator Meetings Important?

Ensuring Protocol Adherence

During investigator meetings, investigators receive comprehensive briefings on protocol aspects like patient recruitment strategies, data collection methods, and safety reporting procedures. This ensures everyone involved in the trial is on the same page and fully understands their roles and responsibilities.

Collect Valuable Data

These meetings create a platform for clarifying protocols and data collection methods by bringing researchers and study staff together. Investigators receive training and education to implement standardized practices, which reduces errors and improves the overall quality of data collected during the trial. 

Fostering Collaboration

Investigator meetings facilitate collaboration among investigators by providing opportunities for discussion, questions, and insights related to the trial protocol. These meetings create a collaborative environment where investigators can brainstorm and develop innovative solutions to potential challenges that may arise during the trial process.

Motivate All Those Involved

Investigator meetings serve as platforms to reinforce the significance of each participant's role in the trial. By emphasizing the broader impact of their work on medical advancements and patient well-being, investigator meetings boost morale and motivation among the participants.

How to Conduct a Successful Investigator Meeting

Step 1: Choose the Right Event Technology Partner

Choosing the right event technology partner is crucial for the success of your investigator meeting. The right partner will provide the tools and support you need to manage your event effectively.

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Superevent is an all-in-one event platform that powers in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.

We offer a range of features, including: 

• Event content management
• Live streaming 
• Engagement tools (polls, Q&As, chat, breakout rooms, etc.)
• Sponsorship tools

We can also work with event organizers to create native mobile apps for their investigator meetings to improve engagement, boost attendance, and streamline the registration process.

Step 2: Identify Key Content for a Focused Event and Set Clear Objectives

Identify the key content that needs to be covered during the meeting and set clear objectives for what you want to achieve. This could include briefing investigators on the specifics of the trial protocol, discussing patient recruitment strategies, or training investigators on data collection methods and safety reporting procedures.

For example, if your investigator meeting focuses on briefing investigators about a complex new trial protocol, your key content may include detailed explanations of the protocol, potential challenges, and expected outcomes. Your objectives could be to ensure that all investigators understand the protocol thoroughly and are prepared to implement it effectively.

Step 3: Prepare a Detailed Agenda

When creating an agenda for an investigator meeting, it's essential to structure it in an organized manner.

It should include a few elements:

1. Introduction: Introduce the topic(s) of discussion and set the context for the meeting
2. Content: Outline the content that will be presented at the meeting. Be as detailed as possible to ensure all participants understand what is expected from them.
3. Activities: Design activities to engage your attendees and foster collaborative learning. These can include brainstorming sessions, group discussions, case studies, etc.
4. Breaks: Plan breaks throughout the meeting to ensure attendees remain engaged and energized.
5. Closing: Summarize the meeting objectives and conclude with a call to action.

It can be helpful to divide your agenda into sections to keep content organized and easily accessible. Additionally, it is important to consider the estimated duration of each item on your agenda when preparing for the meeting.

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Attendees can use Superevent to plan personal agendas that keep them in the loop about speakers, activities, and other important information you add through the CMS. Notifications and reminders help them stay on schedule, and floor plans help them navigate the venue at in-person investigator meetings.

Step 4: Engage Intentionally for Learning Retention

To enhance learning retention, it's essential to engage attendees deliberately. 

This can be achieved by incorporating interactive elements into your meeting, such as Q&A sessions where participants can clarify doubts and reinforce their understanding. Hands-on training sessions allow for practical application of knowledge, while breakout discussions foster peer-to-peer learning and deeper engagement.

Superevent gives you a range of engagement features to work with—from a Facebook-like social wall to polls, votes, breakout rooms, and Q&As. You can use these strategically to keep your attendees engaged throughout the event.

Step 5: Put Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria into Practice

Ensuring all investigators fully grasp and adhere to the trial's inclusion and exclusion criteria is paramount. This clarity is crucial for patient recruitment and is a preventive measure against potential complications.

In a clinical trial context, you might provide real-world examples of patient profiles that meet or do not meet the trial's criteria. This practical application helps investigators better grasp the nuances of these criteria and reduces the likelihood of enrolling ineligible participants.

Step 6: Clearly Define the Roles and Responsibilities

Distribute tasks among your team members strategically to prevent anyone from becoming overwhelmed.  Suppose you have a team responsible for organizing different aspects of the investigator meeting, such as: 

• Registration
• Content creation
• Technical support
• Logistics

By distributing tasks strategically, you prevent any one team member from becoming overwhelmed. This allows each team member to specialize in their expertise, leading to a well-coordinated and successful event.

Step 7: Invite Feedback to Identify and Overcome Challenges

To continuously improve your investigator meeting, actively seek feedback from attendees. 

Use surveys or feedback forms to gather insights on challenges they may have encountered or areas requiring enhancement. This valuable feedback serves as a foundation for making necessary adjustments, addressing issues, and ensuring smoother, more effective meetings in the future.

Step 8: Learn From Your History to Improve

The past is a valuable teacher. Reflect on previous investigator meetings to identify what worked well and what didn't. This critical analysis allows you to extract lessons learned and apply them to future events.

Best Practices for Conducting Investigator Meetings

Choose the Best Format

The format of your investigator meeting can significantly impact its success. Consider whether an in-person, virtual, or hybrid format would be most effective for your meeting. 

Each format has advantages—in-person meetings allow for face-to-face interaction, virtual meetings offer convenience and accessibility, and hybrid meetings provide the best of both worlds.

Involve Subject Matter Experts

Having subject matter experts present at your investigator meeting can significantly enhance its value. The experts can provide in-depth knowledge and insights on the trial protocol, patient recruitment strategies, data collection methods, safety reporting procedures, and more.

Use On-Demand Training

On-demand training can be a valuable tool for ensuring that all investigators have access to the information they need when they need it. This could include pre-recorded presentations, webinars, or online courses that investigators can access at their convenience.

Utilize Multimedia

Utilizing multimedia can make your investigator meeting more engaging and effective. This could include videos, animations, infographics, or interactive elements that help to illustrate key points and keep attendees engaged.

Extend Support and Access

Extend support and access to all investigators by providing them with the resources to conduct the trial successfully. This could include access to trial materials, training resources, a dedicated support team, and more.

Leverage Meeting Analytics

Leverage meeting analytics to gain insights into the effectiveness of your Investigator Meeting. This could include attendee engagement metrics, feedback survey results, or data on the usage of on-demand training resources.

Tools like Superevent are invaluable opportunities to collect and analyze data. Whether you’re analyzing attendee engagement through polls or event attendance, you’ll be able to gain insights into how well your investigator meeting is going. 

Conclusion

Investigator meetings are essential for successful clinical trials. Choose the right event technology partner, identify key content, engage in intentional learning, implement inclusion and exclusion criteria, welcome feedback, delegate tasks effectively, and learn from past meetings for a successful and productive outcome.

If you’re looking for a platform to power your investigator meetings, consider Superevent. 

Superevent provides web and mobile apps for professional events—conferences, summits, networking events, and more. Whether your event is virtual, hybrid, or in-person, Superevent can help you make it a success.

Book a demo to see Superevent in action.