A survey on clinical study participation and study infrastructure at non-university hospitals in Germany

Objective: In order to participate in multicenter clinical trials a fair amount of infrastructure and human resources has to be provided by hospitals. Therefore clinical trials are carried out predominantly in university hospitals. Data concerning participation in clinical trials and the infrastructure of study centers in non-university hospitals in Germany do not exist. A survey was thus conducted to evaluate the current status of clinical study performance in non-university hospitals. Materials and methods: A questionnaire comprising 10 questions covering hospital infrastructure, local study history, and the individual interest in performing studies was sent to 790 non-university hospitals in Germany. Results: 58.7% of questionnaires were returned for evaluation. 74.1% of non-university hospitals participate in clinical studies. Hospital size is a significant predictor of study participation. 25.5% of hospitals have established a multidisciplinary study center. 86.2% have a certified study nurse and in 34.5% this nurse is the only person running the study center. Only 25.5% of hospitals were not interested in participating in clinical studies at all, even if an individual tailored concept were to be offered. Conclusions: The demand for more hospitals to participate in clinical trials is urgent since high quality studies are a fundamental part of clinical research. Even though 75% of non-university hospitals in Germany already participate in clinical trials, it may be possible to increase this number. In addition by establishing and developing study centers in hospitals the quality of studies will presumably rise, and due to the concentration of study resources, the number of clinical trials may increase.