Everyone involved in clinical trial invoicing would benefit if we were more efficient at getting invoices paid. The following are some tried and tested tips to get your clinical research invoices paid.
1. Early and Often
Don’t wait until the end of the study to send invoices for payment. Stay on top of it and send invoices as the expenses are incurred (or at a minimum, the frequency outlined in the contract). Invoices are frequently rejected or delayed in payment, so the earlier you start on this, the quicker you will be able to resolve and get paid.
2. Exactly as specified in the contract
Most clinical trial agreements will specify how invoicing is to occur and lists all the items that need to be included. Make sure your invoices follow the instructions exactly. Create a template to use for the study. Don’t assume that your standard template and process will be accepted. If you need to invoice for something not listed in the contract, you will need to request an amendment to the contract.
3. Negotiate terms and contacts in the contract
Many contracts will have a general email for invoicing that goes to a group at the sponsor or CRO. When you’re negotiating the contract, insist on obtaining the contact information of humans at the CRO and Sponsor to have so you can escalate invoicing problems directly to a person.
4. Build relationships
Get to know your invoicing contacts at the sponsor and CRO and look for opportunities to engage with them. If you follow their processes for invoicing, you make their jobs easier and if you also have a relationship, perhaps your invoices get to the top of the pile.
5. Set reminders to follow up
Every contract will have terms for payment of invoices (net 30 days etc). Set calendar reminders to follow up if you haven’t received payment the day it is due. It’s the old saying that the “squeaky wheel gets oiled”.
6. Don’t wait to escalate
Have a plan for escalation. Use the contacts you obtained when negotiating the contract. Don’t delay. The situation won’t get better.
7. Be Persistent
Sites that work at this will get paid before sites who just send an invoice and sit back and wait to be paid.
8. Use the Principal Investigator
Sometimes an email from the PI to their contacts at the sponsor can do wonders to get payments moving.
9. Say thank you
You will find people that will help you navigate these challenging systems. When you do, be sure to say thank you.
10. Acknowledge good service
When you come across a company or someone at a company that pays on time and does a good job, find out who the supervisor is and let them know about the good experience you had.
In clinical trials, there is a high standard for quality data collection and submission. It’s not a surprise that this same standard carries over to invoicing as well. When conducting a clinical trial visit, the protocol must be followed and deviations can be costly. It’s the same thing for invoicing in clinical research. The study contract is the invoicing protocol and the instructions must be followed precisely. Otherwise, you can expect rejection of invoices and several cycles of resubmission to resolve and months or years delay in receiving payment.
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