Becoming an employee-owned organisation is not just an internal organisational matter for A+ Science, but something which adds value to their customers as well.
The services offered by the contract research organisation A+ Science include clinical trial management, pharmacovigilance, site management and outsourcing of consultants and research nurses. The company also runs City Site situated in Stockholm. It’s a reception unit in an open care environment, recruiting patients in phase II-IV clinical trials and medical device investigations within several therapeutic areas.
For some years, A+ Science has been striving at becoming an employee-owned organisation, which is now achieved. It’s not just an internal organisational matter, but something which adds value to their customers as well.
”The company is now owned by a majority of its employees. It makes us all more committed and dedicated to the business. The decision paths are short and we’re very open about what’s going on in the organisation. It promotes trust and gives everyone a better understanding of the whole spectrum of services that we offer. All of this is of benefit to our customers,” says Anna Fröling, CEO and CFO of A+ Science.
Stronger Business Areas
In addition to the new owner-structure, A+ Science has, in the last year, focused on strengthening its four business areas: Clinical Services, Pharmacovigilance, City Site Stockholm and Outsourcing of Consultants, and to establish a good balance between them.
”We now have approximately the same number of people working in each area and knowledge and competence is equally shared. It enables us to deliver flexible services, carefully adapted to our customers’ needs, which is one of our greatest assets. Once a month the entire staff meets to exchange information on clinical trials, which keeps everyone updated and facilitates the spread of best practice in the organisation,” Anna Fröling comments.
”We’ve also created a clinical call-centre platform. It’s a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of managing patients that we will continue to develop,” she adds.
When the new EU directive on clinical trials gains legal force in 2018 it will be easier to compare cost-effectiveness between different CROs. Something that is welcomed by Anna Fröling.
”When it’s valid, I believe the directive will make it more attractive to conduct clinical trials in Sweden,” she concludes.
