Clinical Research Community to Converge in Madison for Conference Hosted by Forte Research

MADISON, Wis., Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading institutes in the clinical research community will gather to discuss key issues and pinpoint solutions to achieve excellence in their operations at the 12th Onsemble conference. It will be held September 14-16, 2011, at the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. Hosted by Forte Research Systems, Inc., the event provides a forum for collaboration for members of the Onsemble community, which largely consists of prospective and current users of the company's market-leading product, the OnCore Clinical Research Management system.

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The Power of Partnerships

The agenda for the upcoming conference is filled with great learning and networking opportunities. The theme of this year's conference centers on fostering partnerships for research excellence. One session on the agenda will explore opportunities for integration of external systems with OnCore. Titled "Technology Partnerships: Interfacing eIRB Systems with OnCore," the discussion will center on breaking down barriers to eIRB systems integration in order to achieve more efficient operations. Srini Kalluri, Founder, President, CEO, and Chief Customer Experience Officer, will speak about the company's Software Development Kit, which was introduced for the purpose of interfacing OnCore with all eIRB systems. He will lead the panel, which will also include the site and eIRB vendor perspectives. Vendors that will be in attendance at the conference include BEC (creator of IRBManager) and Topaz.

"It's increasingly obvious that IRBs can't live in isolation from the rest of the research automation landscape," said Walden Leverich III, CEO of BEC. "The need to interface with external systems like CTMS, accounting, or scheduling is becoming the norm. Software Development Kits like the OnCore SDK go a long way to increasing the value and ease of use of eIRB software systems. We're delighted to be working with Forte to help extend IRBManager's reach to OnCore customers."

The agenda will feature another special guest speaker that will expound on the importance of collaboration within clinical research: Dr. Purvish Parikh, convener of the Indian Co-operative Oncology Network (ICON). ICON has more than 350 members, and Dr. Purvish Parikh will share the vision of the network, which includes better prevention and management of human cancers in India. The presentation will also focus on fostering cooperation at the international level.

Session Agenda: Addressing Critical Issues  

Additional topics at the Onsemble conference will tackle vital issues that affect the clinical research industry. One topic that has risen in importance is billing compliance for sites. The agenda features a keynote presentation by Ryan Meade, partner at Meade & Roach, LLP that will address the issue. A prominent figure in the compliance arena, Meade will offer solutions for sites to the challenges posed by compliance requirements.

"I am excited to speak at the upcoming Onsemble 2011 Fall Conference," Meade said. "It is important that clinical research sites not only achieve awareness of their compliance risks but also develop effective tools to manage those risks. The conference will build on the important national dialogue on how to integrate clinical trials management with clinical trials compliance."

Additional general session topics will explore training, HIPAA compliance, effort tracking and more, alongside development updates to the OnCore product family. Workshops will delve into such topics as reporting practices, clinical trials financials and 21 CFR Part 11, among others.

For the first time in its history, the Onsemble conference is joined with a pre-conference Biospecimen Management Workshop. It will feature presentations and discussions on the processes, workflows, and challenges of organizations using OnCore-BSM to help manage their biorepositories.

Networking

The schedule of networking events enhances the program agenda for the Onsemble 2011 Fall Conference. Functions each night offer attendees the chance to mingle while enjoying different venues around the city of Madison.

An evening pre-conference reception at the Monona Terrace on Tuesday, September 13 kicks off the conference, offering the chance to visit with peers while overlooking scenic Lake Monona.

There will be a welcome reception at the conclusion of the first day on Wednesday, September 14. Attendees can enjoy drinks and light hors d'oeuvres before heading out to dinner in Madison. Guests are then invited to an after-dinner reception at The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company.

A separate networking event on Thursday, September 15 includes a trip to the Olbrich Botanical Gardens where guests can enjoy dinner and live music, among the many horticultural treasures.

ABOUT ONSEMBLE CONFERENCES

The semi-annual Onsemble conferences are gatherings of the Onsemble community, which is largely comprised of OnCore users, and are facilitated by Forte Research Systems, Inc. With the vision of "for the members, by the members," the majority of content is generated and presented by the members of the community. The community is comprised of cancer centers, children's hospitals, research consortia, and AHCs. The people who attend are largely Clinical Trials Office leadership, clinical research associates, data managers, and regulatory managers, with some representation from other areas including clinical trials financials, clinical informatics, and biostatistics.

ABOUT FORTE RESEARCH SYSTEMS, INC.  

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, Forte Research Systems, Inc. develops clinical and translational research management software. The company's flagship product, the OnCore® system, is the nation's most widely adopted clinical research platform among academic research organizations and cancer centers. The OnCore platform is the result of over a decade of experience working closely with large research organizations, including institutes funded by the National Institute of Health's Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program and forty percent of the NCI designated cancer centers.

For information about the OnCore clinical research informatics platform, contact Forte Research Systems at (608) 826-6002 or visit the company online at www.ForteResearch.com.

SOURCE Forte Research Systems, Inc.