The Hidden Cost of Feasibility Overload
If you’ve ever juggled six feasibility requests at once, you’re not alone—and you’re probably exhausted.
For many clinical research teams, feasibility is deceptively labeled as “simple” paperwork. But behind each sponsor packet lies a web of deadlines, document versions, internal coordination, and unspoken stress. When multiple sponsors hit your inbox at the same time, the pressure builds fast—and if you’re operating with a lean team, things fall through the cracks.
Feasibility overload is a growing pain for research sites managing more studies with the same (or shrinking) staff. Every missed feasibility response is a missed opportunity. And while hiring sounds like the obvious fix, budget and bandwidth say otherwise.
In this blog post, we’re going to break down how small and mid-sized research organizations—from independent sites and academic medical centers to CROs and health systems—can scale their feasibility efforts without increasing headcount. The focus? Smarter systems, clearer communication, and sustainable workflows that don’t rely on superhuman effort.
Let’s dig in.
Understanding the Feasibility Bottleneck
Feasibility often gets overlooked because it doesn’t happen at the bedside. But it does decide who gets to the bedside. Sponsors use it to evaluate whether your site is the right fit for their trial—and missing a deadline or submitting a partial packet can remove you from the running before you ever get started.
The core challenge:
While your feasibility volume has grown, your staffing likely hasn’t. That imbalance causes three specific problems:
- Manual overload: Coordinators track tasks via spreadsheets or post-it notes.
- Communication confusion: Sponsors, PIs, and study staff operate in silos.
- Time tension: You’re expected to be fast and flawless—but can’t stretch the hours in a day.
💡 Tip: Treat feasibility like a strategic function—not just an admin task. When managed proactively, it can become a competitive advantage.
The Case for Centralizing Communication
Have you ever searched three inboxes just to find the latest version of a sponsor form? That’s time you’ll never get back.
Disorganized communication is one of the top feasibility killers. When timelines are tight, missing an update or misunderstanding instructions can lead to late or incomplete responses.
Common issues we see:
- Sponsor emails buried in cluttered inboxes
- Different team members emailing the sponsor separately
- Internal confusion about who owns what
Better approach:
Create a central communication channel for feasibility—one that all stakeholders can access. Whether it’s an internal workspace or a shared task board, having a unified hub reduces duplication, keeps messages visible, and clarifies expectations.
💡 Quick Tip: Use a shared checklist where everyone involved can track their responsibilities and deadlines at a glance.
Automating Reminders and Internal Follow-Ups
Manual follow-up is one of the most time-consuming (and error-prone) parts of feasibility. You don’t need to remember everything—you just need a system that does.
Think about this scenario:
A sponsor gives you a 5-business-day turnaround. You’re handling another startup packet, plus two site initiation visits. You forget to ping your PI to sign the form. Day 5 hits—and you’re not done.
Sound familiar?
Automated reminders can prevent this. Set them to notify key people when:
- A deadline is approaching
- A signature is needed
- A document is uploaded but not submitted
These don’t need to be fancy. Even simple calendar alerts or task-based tools can take the pressure off your memory.
Document Version Control Isn’t Optional
One of the most overlooked aspects of feasibility is document chaos. Sponsors revise documents. Internal reviewers make notes. The version that gets submitted is… whichever one was last touched (and hopefully the right one).
Why this matters:
Submitting the wrong version—especially one missing a section or outdated budget—can make your site look careless. And it often requires repeat work that slows everything down.
What helps:
- Use naming conventions:
[StudyName]_Feasibility_v3_2025-06-01.pdf - Store all versions in one place, ideally tied to submission status
- Assign one person to “own” each sponsor’s documentation flow
📊 Mini-statistic: In an informal survey of startup teams, 68% reported they had accidentally submitted an outdated form to a sponsor at least once in the past year.
See Timelines Before They Collide
Feasibility requests don’t arrive on a nice, even schedule. Some months are quiet. Others hit like a storm.
What often happens:
- A site receives 3–4 feasibility packets in one week
- They overlap with an IRB deadline, staff PTO, or a new study launch
- Everyone scrambles—or worse, misses something
The solution? Visualize your feasibility pipeline.
Create a shared timeline (even a color-coded spreadsheet can work) showing:
- Upcoming feasibility due dates
- Current feasibility in progress
- Other site-wide milestones (e.g., SIVs, holidays, audits)
Bonus benefit: This helps you anticipate burnout and shift resources in advance.
📥 Download the Feasibility Ops Self‑Check Worksheet
Want to see how your site stacks up? Use the worksheet to benchmark your current processes and uncover opportunities to streamline feasibility.
Download Feasibility OPs Self-Check WorksheetClarify Roles and Responsibilities Early
One reason feasibility gets stuck is no one knows who owns which part. Does the coordinator fill out the packet? Does the PI review it before submission? Who updates the sponsor?
Establish a repeatable process:
- Assign a feasibility lead per study
- Define checkpoints (e.g., “PI sign-off by Day 3”)
- Track progress in a central place visible to all stakeholders
Example Feasibility Roles Matrix:
| Task | Assigned To |
|---|---|
| Initial intake & filing | Startup Coordinator |
| PI completion of study-specific sections | PI or Sub-I |
| Budget feasibility review | Site Finance Contact |
| Final QA and submission | Feasibility Lead |
Build Templates You Can Reuse
Not every sponsor will let you use your own format—but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare.
Create templates for:
- Internal feasibility intake checklists
- Pre-PI review forms to highlight high-priority sections
- Standard email responses for common sponsor requests
Why this helps:
- Saves time during every packet
- Ensures consistency across studies
- Speeds up internal review and avoids missing steps
💡 Pro Tip: Keep your templates short, actionable, and tailored to your team’s real workflow.
Balance Standardization with Flexibility
Yes, you want a system. But you also need to accommodate variation—because sponsor expectations can be wildly different.
What this looks like in practice:
- Your core feasibility process is consistent
- You allow room for sponsor-specific steps
- Your team knows when to follow the “standard path” and when to pivot
This balance keeps you efficient without becoming rigid.
Conduct Post-Feasibility Reviews
After feasibility is submitted, take five minutes to reflect. What worked? What didn’t? What caused stress?
A quick debrief helps:
- Identify bottlenecks before they repeat
- Improve your intake or submission templates
- Capture what made a certain sponsor especially difficult (or smooth)
Over time, these small lessons add up—and your team gets faster, more aligned, and less reactive.
Try asking:
- Were we rushed or paced?
- Was the communication clear?
- Did we duplicate work?
- Did we miss anything?
Culture Counts: Protect Your People
Last but not least—remember that feasibility pressure isn’t just operational. It’s emotional.
Burnout often starts here. When the only way to keep up is to work extra hours or skip breaks, morale dips and mistakes increase. That’s not sustainable.
By making feasibility manageable—through better tools, clearer workflows, and shared ownership—you’re protecting your team and improving your performance.
🧠 Final Thought: A scalable start-up team isn’t the one that works the fastest. It’s the one that can repeat success without breaking down.
Conclusion: Turn Stress Into Strategy
Feasibility doesn’t have to be a scramble. With the right structure in place, your existing team can manage multiple sponsor requests smoothly—without working longer hours or compromising quality.
📥 Download the Feasibility Ops Self‑Check Worksheet
Want to see how your site stacks up? Use the worksheet to benchmark your current processes and uncover opportunities to streamline feasibility.
Download Feasibility OPs Self-Check Worksheet
