Fixing the Disconnect: Why Clinical Tech Fails Without Operational Clarity

Beyond The Protocol

Clinical trials don’t derail because of technology alone—they fall short when people aren’t equipped with the tools needed to meet real-world demands

In this episode, Melody Keel sits down with Jason Spivey, Founder of Unifora and clinical tech strategist, to unpack how even the best technology can cause clinical operations to break down without the right leadership, workflows, and cross-functional alignment.

What you’ll learn:

• Why trial delays often trace back to unclear roles—not missing features
• How to spot the early warning signs of tech friction in your ops team
• A practical framework to embed enablement into every stage of study delivery
• What VPs and Directors need to know before their next platform rollout

This episode is a must-listen for clinical operations leaders who are tired of firefighting and ready to align their teams for faster, cleaner execution—with or without a tech upgrade.

Welcome to Beyond the Protocol—where authentic conversations about clinical research happen.

Hosted by Melody Keel, bringing together diverse professionals from across the industry to share insights and experiences about what it really takes to deliver successful clinical trials.

This isn't about perfect processes—it's about real people sharing real solutions.

Let's go beyond the protocol.

That's all for today's episode of Beyond the Protocol—where we explore what it truly takes to deliver successful clinical trials.

If you found value in today's conversation, please subscribe, share with your network, and leave a review.

Have experiences or insights to share? Reach out and be part of the conversation.

Join us next week as we continue to discover what lies beyond the protocol.

You can catch it on :
📺 LinkedIn Live

📺 YouTube ▶️https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheProtocol

🎧 Spotify ▶️https://open.spotify.com/show/5tJlyePbEkmXLEPzSPtBcK?si=d209a257a8224056

🎧 Apple Podcasts ▶️https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-protocol/id1798238612

🎧 Deezer ▶️https://dzr.page.link/Wy8E6rSXR7NpR15W7

🎧 Podcast address ▶️https://beyondtheprotocol.buzzsprout.com/
This Podcast is Sponsored by The Research Associate Group, Inc.

Chapters

1. Welcome & Guest Intro (00:00:00)

2. Jason’s Journey: From IT to Clinical Research (00:03:14)

3. The Role of Tech Strategy in Clinical Trials (00:06:59)

4. Nimble Providers: Filling Operational Gaps (00:10:49)

5. Why Clinical Tech Fails Without Strategy (00:14:34)

6. Tech Stack Flops: When Tools Don’t Work Together (00:18:29)

7. Strategy, Delivery & Management: Jason’s Approach (00:22:44)

8. Training vs Enablement: Preparing Teams for Tech Success (00:27:54)

9. Leadership’s Role: Metrics, Dashboards & Decision-Making (00:32:24)

10. The Domino Effect: Costs Beyond the Budget (00:36:59)

11. Closing Thoughts: Human-Centered Tech Strategy (00:39:44)