How Smaller Clinical Trials Can Use ePRO Effectively Without Adding Cost or Complexity

Making ePRO Work for Smaller Trials: A Practical, Cost-Effective Approach for Operational Leaders

If you’re responsible for implementing ePRO, you’ve likely faced this dilemma.

You understand the value of digital patient-reported data—but when you look at your study size, timelines, and budget, the traditional ePRO options simply don’t make operational sense.

For early-phase, pilot, feasibility, and/or small-population trials, many operational leaders find themselves asking:

• Is ePRO worth the cost for this study?
• Will ePRO set up and validation slow us down more than it helps?
• Are we adding operational burden to sites and patients for marginal gain with ePRO?

These are valid concerns—and they’re exactly why SDC Capture™ exists.

The Operational Reality of ePRO in Smaller Studies 

Most ePRO platforms on the market were designed for large, late-phase programs. Operationally, that creates challenges when you’re working with:

• Small patient populations
• Short timelines
• Limited budgets
• Narrow data capture needs (e.g., diaries, simple symptom measures, image capture)

The effort required to configure, validate, train, and support a full-scale enterprise ePRO platform is often the same whether you have 12 or 1,200 patients. As an operational leader, that makes it difficult to justify the investment in ePRO—especially when you’re accountable for both execution and cost control.

This is why many early and/or small studies still rely on paper trackers - even when teams know it’s not ideal.

SDC Capture: ePRO That’s Right-Sized for Your Clinical Trial 

SDC Capture takes a fundamentally different approach. It’s designed to solve specific operational problems—not to be everything for every study.

At its core, SDC Capture enables you to digitize patient-reported data where it actually adds value, without introducing unnecessary complexity or cost.

That means:

• Configurable, not over-customized, builds
• Faster deployment timelines
• Lower total cost of ownership
• Operational workflows that are easy for sites and patients to adopt

For clinical trial leaders, this translates into an ePRO that’s practical to implement—without sacrificing quality.

Where SDC Capture Fits Best Operationally - Use Case Spotlights 

SDC Capture performs particularly well in scenarios where operational efficiency matters most:

1. Early-Phase and Small Population Trials

When patient counts are low, SDC Capture remains cost-effective and practical—allowing you to move off paper without inflating your budget or timelines.

Use Case Spotlight –
For a 12-patient study, the sponsor shared that competing ePRO solutions came in at 4–5x the cost of SDC Capture, reinforcing the efficiency and value of our approach.

2. Subject Diaries and Simple PROs

Dosing diaries, compliance tracking, and symptom logs are straightforward to configure and deploy, providing real-time visibility without heavy validation overhead.

Use Case Spotlight-
We used SDC Capture to track multiple doses per day of the Investigational Product (IP) as it had strict dosing timing. 

3. Remote and At-Home Data Collection

SDC Capture supports remote workflows that reduce site burden while maintaining data integrity—particularly valuable for decentralized or hybrid study designs.

Use Case Spotlight-
Patients used SDC Capture to log body temperature and oxygen saturation (SpO₂) several times daily. Both measures were defined as SAE indicators, with any values outside predefined thresholds prompting Investigator outreach.

4. Image Capture Studies

For ophthalmology, dermatology, or similar indications, SDC Capture enables participants to capture high-quality images at home, with real-time feedback and optional integration with AI/ML models for quality or compliance checks.

Use Case Spotlight-
An eye study with a large volume of eye images to be taken and submitted into the site via a special eye cup. SDC Capture completed multiple cohorts across a feasibility study to prove and refine the image quality and submission process.

How To Maximize the Value from SDC Capture 

SDC Capture is designed to deliver fast, cost‑effective ePRO—especially when deployed via a Bring‑Your‑Own‑Device (BYOD) model. 

Because the platform is configuration‑driven and can operate independently or alongside existing clinical systems, implementation timelines are typically measured in weeks rather than months for standard use cases. This faster set-up allows teams to activate studies sooner, respond quickly to protocol amendments, and scale cohorts without incurring delays tied to complex licensing or extensive platform revalidation.

From a cost perspective, BYOD further reduces infrastructure and hardware expenses while eliminating unnecessary licensing layers typical of traditional ePRO models. Combined with streamlined validation and a focused feature set aligned to actual study requirements, SDC Capture enables operational leaders to deploy ePRO that fits the economics of smaller trials—without sacrificing data quality, compliance, or timelines.

What SDC Capture Is—and Isn’t

Operational clarity matters when selecting an ePRO technology.

A Smarter First Step Approach for Implementing ePRO

For many sponsors, SDC Capture becomes a low-risk entry point into digital data capture.

By starting with smaller studies, teams can:

• Prove value without overcommitting
• Gain experience implementing ePRO effectively
• Build internal confidence and operational readiness
• Establish a scalable foundation for future programs

That’s digital transformation done pragmatically—not theoretically.

Is SDC Capture Right for You?

You shouldn’t have to justify ePRO by bending your study design—or your budget—to fit the technology.

SDC Capture empowers operational teams to implement ePRO where it makes sense, when it makes sense, and at a cost that aligns with the reality of smaller trials.

Speak to the SDC Team Today	Read SDC Capture Fact Sheet	Book a Demo of SDC Capture