What sets the best clinical investigators apart?
Reviewing the Open Payments database reveals that the investigators with the highest Sunshine Scores are the ones with the most clinical experience. Investigators who have participated in two or more studies score at least five points better, on average, than those who’ve enrolled patients in just one clinical study.
Investigators who’ve participated in more than 15 studies score ten points better than even their relatively experienced peers. What’s more, these doctors are about equally likely to work with partners of all sizes. Sunshine Scores measure an investigator’s success in enrolling patients for clinical studies compared to the total investigator population.
Mean Sunshine Score by Investigator Clinical Trial Experience
| # of Studies | 1 Study | 2-5 Studies | 6-15 Studies | More than 15 Studies |
| Mean Sunshine Score | 42 | 47 | 55 | 65 |
While more experienced, better-performing investigators are more popular among companies of all sizes, there is no indicator that bigger companies enjoy a size or budget-based advantage in attracting them. Presumably, this means organizations of every size face the same challenges in identifying and attracting investigators. They’re all about equally likely to work primarily with investigators who have only conducted a small number of studies.
The good news is that organizations of all sizes face a similar opportunity now that they’ve got the Open Payments database at their disposal.
SunshineMD can help organizations of all sizes identify the best possible investigators without analyzing data on their own. Want to learn more? Reach out to hello@sunshinemddata.com to start a conversation and schedule a demonstration.
