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CTMS vs SOMS: Why Your Site Needs a Unified eClinical Toolkit

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Clinical trials are moving faster, growing more complex, and facing sharper regulatory scrutiny than ever before. That leaves research sites and site networks with a critical question: is your technology helping you move faster? 

For too many sites, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. That’s why we’re exploring a unified approach to clinical trial site management: a Site Operations Management System (SOMS). This model replaces disconnected tools and manual workarounds with an integrated, modular eClinical toolkit designed to streamline operations, improve compliance, and scale with your growth. And for already established site networks and enterprise organizations, SOMS delivers the standardization, visibility, and efficiency needed to manage complexity at scale. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

The Problem: Disconnected Systems, Disconnected Teams

When eClinical systems operate in silos, so do teams. Consider the daily friction: 

  • Regulatory staff hunt for training records across spreadsheets and shared drives. 
  • Finance is waiting for visit completion confirmations to trigger payments. 
  • PI oversight is fragmented across email chains and missing audit trails. 
  • Coordinators are chasing PIs for signatures 
  • Binder and sticky notes 

This method creates real risk. In fact, according to a Tufts CSDD study, site start-up delays account for up to 30% of total trial timelines, and nearly 40% of selected sites underperform, often due to operational bottlenecks. 

CTMS vs SOMS: A Smarter Path Forward

RealTime eClinical Solutions takes a different approach. In modern clinical research, a CTMS alone is no longer enough. What sites truly need is a complete Site Operations Management System (SOMS): a modular, unified platform that consolidates all essential eClinical tools under one umbrella. That means: 

  • Fewer logins 
  • Fewer vendor contracts 
  • Less training overhead 
  • Fewer product updates to manage 

The Solution: A Site Operations Management System (SOMS) - An Integrated eClinical Toolkit

SOMS- CTMS, eSource, eReg/eISF, Pay, Text, Engage! Devana

Our modular Site Operations Management System (SOMS) is purpose-built to unify your workflows, whether you start with one solution or scale to all. Each component integrates seamlessly, meaning you can start where you need it most and expand over time.  

The essential site-based eClinical toolkit includes: 

  • CTMS – for centralized trial tracking, milestone management, and document workflows 
  • eSource – for real-time, compliant data capture, directly at the point of care 
  • eReg/eISF – for centralized regulatory file management with built-in version control and audit trails 
  • Engage! (Participant Portal + eConsent) – for participant engagement, eConsent, and communications 
  • Pay – for automated participant reimbursements and stipend tracking 
  • Text – for visit reminders, no-show reduction, and patient communication 
  • Mobile App – for staff flexibility and on-the-go access 
  • Devana – for study start-up, pipeline management, and business intelligence 

And because RealTime SOMS is modular, you don’t need to adopt everything at once. Start with CTMS and add as you grow. 

Why Modular Matters

One of the greatest advantages of RealTime’s approach is modularity. You don’t need to rip and replace everything overnight. Start with CTMS and expand into eSource, eReg/eISF, Engage! (Participant Portal + eConsent), Pay, Text, Mobile, or even Devana as your needs grow. Each tool is powerful on its own but exponentially more valuable when integrated. This flexibility allows you to: 

  • Match implementation to your team’s capacity 
  • Roll out based on department or site readiness 
  • See quick wins while planning long-term transformation 

It’s not about changing everything. It’s about changing what matters and building a foundation that scales. 

The Results: Real Data, Real ROI

Case studies from leading site networks using RealTime’s full platform show measurable improvements: 

  • 29% average time savings per week for staff using unified systems 
  • 14 hours saved per study activation through automated workflows 
  • 75% reduction in monitoring visit costs thanks to remote-ready platforms 
  • 5x faster inspection readiness with real-time audit trails and version control 

Purpose-Built by Site Professionals, for Site Professionals

At RealTime, we’ve walked in your shoes. Our company was founded by a former research site owner who spent over a decade managing one of the largest multi-specialty research sites in the U.S. That firsthand experience of navigating disconnected systems, regulatory pressure, and staffing constraints shaped every aspect of the platform we’ve built. And we didn’t stop there. 

Many members of our team, from product leaders to support specialists, come directly from the frontlines of clinical research. We know what works because we’ve lived it. 

RealTime Professional Services is a white-glove offering designed to help your organization maximize the value of your eClinical investment from day one. Whether you’re launching one module or the full SOMS suite, our team can help you: 

  • Develop a strategic roadmap tailored to your goals, timelines, and trial mix 
  • Build and optimize custom templates for eSource, eReg/eISF, eConsent, and CTMS 
  • Migrate historical data from legacy systems with minimal disruption 
  • Configure workflows aligned to your team roles, protocols, and regulatory requirements 
  • Deliver department-specific training to drive adoption and confidence 
  • Monitor usage and performance to ensure long-term ROI 

Our mission is simple: empower clinical trial teams with tools and guidance that actually work. That means no generic templates, no one-size-fits-all rollouts, and no guessing games. Just proven strategies, deep expertise, and a true partnership. 

The Bottom Line: Unify to Compete

The future of site management isn’t about more tools. It’s about the right ones working together. Sponsors and CROs are increasingly selecting sites based not just on scientific capability, but operational readiness. They want partners who can move fast, stay compliant, and deliver results with precision and predictability. 

A unified eClinical toolkit is your site’s competitive edge. 

If your current systems don’t make it easier to manage trials, it may be time to think bigger. 

At RealTime, we’ve helped hundreds of research organizations centralize their operations, reduce complexity, and unlock new levels of performance. Let’s build your next trial on a system that works together. 

 

Watch This: Best in Breed vs All in one eClinical Solution 

Read More: Ask the Expert: Tips for Onboarding a Site Operations Management System 

 

FAQ: CTMS vs SOMS – What Sites Need to Know

Q: What’s the difference between a CTMS and a SOMS? 

A CTMS (Clinical Trial Management System) helps sites track trials, milestones, and documents. But in today’s complex research environment, a CTMS alone isn’t enough. A SOMS (Site Operations Management System) goes further — unifying CTMS with eSource, eReg/eISF, participant engagement, payments, communications, and more into a single integrated toolkit. 

Q: Why isn’t a CTMS enough for modern research sites? 

While CTMS supports trial tracking, most sites also rely on spreadsheets, email chains, and standalone tools for regulatory files, participant engagement, or payments. This creates silos, duplicate data entry, and delays. A Tufts CSDD study found that site start-up delays can account for up to 30% of trial timelines, and nearly 40% of sites underperform due to operational bottlenecks. A complete Site Operations Management System eliminates these inefficiencies by connecting everything in one platform. 

Q: What tools are included in RealTime’s SOMS? 

RealTime SOMS is modular and includes: 

  • CTMS – central trial tracking, milestones, documents 
  • eSource – compliant, real-time data capture at the point of care 
  • eReg/eISF – centralized regulatory management with version control 
  • Engage! – participant portal + eConsent for engagement and communication 
  • Pay – automated reimbursements and stipend tracking 
  • Text – SMS reminders and participant communication 
  • Mobile App – staff flexibility and access on-the-go 
  • Devana – for study start-up, pipeline management, and BI 

Q: Do I need to adopt the full SOMS at once? 

No — and that’s one of the biggest advantages. RealTime SOMS is modular, so you can start with the tools your team needs most (such as CTMS) and add others over time. Each module is valuable on its own but becomes exponentially more powerful when integrated. 

Q: What results have sites achieved with SOMS? 

Sites using RealTime’s full SOMS platform have reported: 

  • 29% time savings per week for staff 
  • 500% increase in revenue through faster throughput and activation 
  • 2x coordinator capacity to manage more studies 
  • 14 hours saved per study activation with automated workflows 
  • 75% reduction in monitoring costs with remote-ready platforms 
  • 5x faster inspection readiness with real-time audit trails 

Q: Is SOMS only for growing sites, or does it benefit large site networks too? 

SOMS isn’t just for small or growing research organizations. While modularity makes it easy for emerging sites to start with what they need and expand over time, the platform is equally valuable for large site networks and enterprise-level organizations. 

For enterprise groups, SOMS provides: 

  • Standardization across multiple sites and departments – ensuring consistent processes and compliance at scale. 
  • Centralized visibility – real-time performance metrics across the entire network, giving leadership oversight into study progress, staffing, and financials. 
  • Efficiency gains – fewer logins, fewer vendors, and unified workflows that reduce redundancies across large teams. 
  • Scalability – the ability to manage dozens or even hundreds of trials without the burden of fragmented systems. 

Q: How does RealTime support SOMS adoption? 

Through RealTime Professional Services, our team provides white-glove support, including: 

  • Strategic roadmaps tailored to your site/network 
  • Custom template builds for eSource, eReg, CTMS, and eConsent 
  • Historical data migration from legacy systems 
  • Workflow configuration aligned to team roles and regulatory needs 
  • Department-specific training to drive adoption 
  • Ongoing monitoring and optimization to ensure ROI 

Q: Why is a unified eClinical toolkit a competitive edge? 

Sponsors and CROs now select sites not just for scientific expertise, but for operational readiness. A unified toolkit like a total Site Operations Management System proves your site can move quickly, stay compliant, and deliver predictable results. It’s not about adding more tools — it’s about having the right ones work together. 

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