How to Improve Your EDC Study Build

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Contributing expert: Muhammad Bilal, VP Clinical Data Services

Study build is one of the most critical stages in any clinical trial. Delays directly impact timelines, increase costs, and slow down first patient in (FPI). Every extra day means lost time and slower progress toward key milestones.

Yet many teams are still using electronic data capture (EDC) systems that were not designed for speed. Enterprise EDCs often require long implementation cycles, lengthy certifications, heavy programming, and ongoing vendor dependency. 

For lean clinical teams, enterprise EDC builds create unnecessary friction at the exact moment execution matters most. But you don’t need to sacrifice quality for speed. It’s possible to build a high-quality, clinically rigorous study quickly. 

In this guide, we’ll explore:

• How enterprise EDCs can slow down study builds.
• Why Medrio users can build faster.
• How Medrio prioritizes configuration over programming.
• What makes Medrio customer support different.
• Why teams should consider the total cost of ownership.

The reality of study builds with enterprise EDCs

Enterprise EDCs can slow down study startup before work even begins. Teams must rely on certified builders, consultants, or vendor services to build studies. This dependency creates bottlenecks and limits internal control over timelines and execution.

AI-assisted builds promise faster setup, but they still require validation and human oversight. In reality, a no-code, point-and-click platform is the most reliable way to accelerate study builds.

Capability	Medrio	Enterprise Vendor
Speed	✅ Configure and launch in hours to days.	❌ Requires industry average of 12 to 24 weeks.
Certification	✅ Complete an eLearning course at no cost and access a comprehensive library of resources	❌ Requires expensive training and certifications
Quality	✅ Experience high-quality, clinically rigorous study build that meets regulatory requirements	✅ Offers high-quality, clinically rigorous study build that meets regulatory requirements
Self–sufficiency	✅ Configure via a no-code, point-and-click interface.	❌ Relies on certified builders, consultants, or vendor services to build studies.
Pricing	✅ Experience transparent, subscription-based pricing with no hidden fees.	❌ Uses complex and opaque pricing structures.
Support & responsiveness	✅ Access responsive, 24/7 global technical support	❌ Offers impersonal support and slow response times.

Faster study builds without tradeoffs

Speed is one of the biggest differences between Medrio and enterprise EDCs. With Medrio EDC, studies can be configured and deployed in days, not months. 

Large study builds typically take 4 weeks, compared to 24 weeks with enterprise systems. Additionally, a no-code, point-and-click platform accelerates study builds and provides total control.

Medrio supports fast builds with:

• A rapid path from protocol to production.
• Predictable timelines without hidden delays.
• No-code study builds that don’t require certifications.
• Total customer control with accessible vendor support.

Medrio also enables you to move faster by allowing teams to work independently. Data managers can build and manage studies directly without relying on vendor queues. This improves collaboration across lean teams and removes common bottlenecks.

Medrio’s system satisfies our expectations for compliance and functionality, making us confident in conducting our trials.” – VP of Clinical Affairs, Medtech  (collected by third-party)

“The ability to reuse study pages has significantly shortened build times and reduced costs.”- Director of Clinical Operations, CRO  (collected by third-party)

Read more about how your EDC can support rapid FPI in this EDC selection guide.

Configuration over programming

Instead of requiring vendor-led programming, Medrio EDC enables teams to configure studies without code. The process is intuitive and makes it easy to build databases designed for day-to-day data management workflows.

With Medrio EDC, teams can move quickly due to:

• No-code, point-and-click study configuration.
• In-house ownership of study databases.
• No certification requirements.

Since Medrio supports both remote and in-clinic data collection, you can configure workflows that align directly with all your protocol needs. And since you can build the study database yourself, you’ll retain full control over the database at all times. 

As studies evolve, configurations can adapt without friction. There is no need for workarounds or disconnected systems. Medrio’s unified platform keeps data flows clean, consistent, and easy to manage.

“Our database developers enjoy building in Medrio. Medrio has a really easy user interface. We like Medrio’s drag-and-drop capability. Their build is very easy.” – Director of Clinical Affairs, Medical Device Company (collected by third-party)

The flexibility of Medrio’s platform without the typically lengthy and costly processes required by other vendors saves time and resources.” – Senior Manager of Clinical Affairs, Biotech (collected by third-party)

Learn more best practices in this guide to EDC database builds.

Independent builds without certifications

Many enterprise EDCs have a steep learning curve for study builders and admins. They also come with mandatory certifications. 

It’s not uncommon for enterprise vendors to require builders to complete three months of training, followed by a mandatory, expensive certification exam.

Meanwhile, Medrio supports quick, independent study builds with:

• A highly intuitive, user-friendly interface that requires no coding expertise.
• Access to a quick eLearning course at no extra cost.
• Hands-on support when customers run into challenges. 

Users frequently describe Medrio as straightforward and easy to navigate. Customers can begin building a study immediately after completing the quick eLearning course at no cost.

“Their training is phenomenal… the interface is easy to understand, even for someone walking in without any formal training.” – Project Manager, Biotech (collected by third-party)

“I think Medrio’s response time is very quick. Whenever we have any questions, their customer service is impeccable. They typically resolve questions in 24 hours.” – 

Learn more about what to look for in this EDC overview blog.

Customer support for startup success

Customer support plays a critical role in the success of any study build. Enterprise vendors often have slow and impersonal support. By prioritizing large accounts, enterprise vendors often leave smaller teams waiting for help. This approach can slow down builds and delay issue resolution.

Medrio takes a different approach with:

• 24/7 global support included for all customers.
• Fast response and resolution times.
• Direct access to experienced product experts and training resources.
• Consistent support from the same team members.
• No prioritization bias based on account size.

This level of support helps teams stay on track from the beginning. Instead of waiting around for ticket responses, you get immediate, reliable help. The result is faster startup, fewer blockers, and greater confidence in execution.

“We’ve had such a positive relationship overall. Their [Medrio] customer service is impeccable.” – Director of Clinical Affairs, Medical Device Company (collected by third-party)

Hear what real customers have to say about Medrio’s customer experience on G2.

Reduced total cost of ownership

Total cost of ownership in clinical trials goes far beyond software licensing fees. Hidden fees can quietly drive up costs before a study even begins. 

With enterprise builds, sponsors often have to choose between high certification costs to train their own builders or big spending on a vendor-led build. Then, change orders during the build and database maintenance afterward usually trigger extra fees. 

“The transparency of Medrio’s pricing was beneficial. We’ve found cost-effective solutions to suit our needs.” – Project Manager, CRO (collected by third-party)

Medrio offers faster builds and better experiences

Medrio offers a different path forward. With no-code configuration, faster builds, and responsive support, teams can move from protocol to data collection with confidence. 

You’ll get a study startup process that works with your team—not against it.

With Medrio EDC, teams maintain full ownership of their database and workflows from start to finish. As organizations grow, Medrio scales with them without adding complexity or overhead.