Job interviews are never easy procedures. Even if you have the ideal profile for the job to which you apply and have a lot of experience, the reality is that facing one or more strangers to try to convince them that you are the best person to occupy the role they are offering is somewhat complicated.
Therefore it is best to try to prepare so that nothing catches you by surprise and thus reduce the tension of the moment.
1. What Kind Of Types Of Data Analysis In Clinical Management Is There?
I would distinguish four different types of data:
Descriptive analytics is the examination of data or content, usually done manually, to answer the question “What happened?”, characterized by traditional business intelligence (BI) and visualizations, such as pie charts, bars, lines, tables or the generated narrative.
Diagnostic analytics is a form of advanced analytics to answer the question “Why did it happen?” and is characterized by techniques such as drill down, data discovery, data mining, and correlations.
Predictive analytics is a form of advanced analytics to answer the question “What is likely to happen?”, and incorporates techniques such as regression analysis, forecasting, multivariate statistics, pattern matching, predictive modeling, and forecast.
Prescriptive analytics is a form of advanced analytics to answer the question “What needs to be done?”, and includes techniques such as graph analysis, simulation, complex event processing, neural networks, recommendation, heuristics, and machine learning.
2. Why Is Clinical Data Management Important?
Health centers generate -and accumulate- a large amount of data in the form of access records, paper prescriptions, scanners, X-rays or MRIs, patient medical records, accounting files, or pharmaceutical orders. The analysis of all this information can undoubtedly contribute to optimizing the operation of a hospital, both in the clinical and administrative spheres. The difficulty lies in the fact that this information is huge and diverse, and we still do not have the tools to process it automatically. But the data exists, and it is already beginning to be used to improve the efficiency, safety, and quality of care systems.
3. How Can Clinical Data Help?
Having information helps you compare yourself with yourself and with other professionals. If there is no reference point, we do not know if we are doing it right or if we are doing it wrong. For example, the World Health Organization states that, of the total number of deliveries, a maximum of 20 or 21% should be cesarean sections. There is a measure. Sometimes, however, it is more difficult because there is no institution to guide you. In that case, we set the standards for ourselves: we observe the trends and we pay attention. Without information, it would be impossible.
4. How Important Are Information Systems In Clinical Data Management?
Information systems in the health sector will help, first, to know what health problems people have. Whether it’s a primary care doctor, a nurse in a health center, or a health park like this, everyone needs to continually evaluate what they do. We should compare a patient’s situation with their previous state of health and with that of other patients. Information systems will also help patients know more about their pathology and learn to manage it. Finally, these systems will allow us to apply all the scientific knowledge we have to improve prevention, diagnosis, and clinical treatment. Ultimately, they will be crucial.
5. What Does Clinical Data Management Do?
Clinical data management is responsible for the validity and reliability of the data collected during a clinical study. In a therapeutic trial, doctors evaluate the effectiveness of a new treatment. A precise protocol is developed, and then physician investigators propose the new therapeutic approach to patients who agree or do not participate in the study. The CRAs (clinical research associates) assist the doctor and report all the results relating to pathology and treatment in a case report called CRF. They intervene at this time to transform this “paper” data into computer data using specialized software. They are responsible for the control and consistency of the database thus created. This work allows, among other things, to verify that the protocol has been followed. Finally, the doctors in charge of the study interpret the results of the database with the help of statisticians.
6. Explain The Nature Of The Work Of Clinical Data Management
Clinical data management creates a database to collect, via case reports, the thousands of pieces of information relating to a clinical study. The field of investigation is wide: demography, medical history, clinical events, biology, genetics, treatments, quality of life…
Then, using specialized software, they check the consistency of the database and verify whether the protocol has been rigorously followed. It is a guarantee of quality, reliability, traceability, and proof that the study was carried out in compliance with the regulatory and legislative requirements in force. Finally, they draw up a report on the actions taken to check the database. After final quality control, this database is sent to the biostatistician for the analysis of the results.
Throughout their mission, the clinical data management must comply with the terms and conditions provided for the study, the directives on the management of personal data, and national and international medical research.
7. What Are Some Challenges Of Clinical Data Management?
Every clinician researcher understands the importance of saving time and resources when conducting clinical trials. This is especially true for the collection, processing, and management of protocol-specific data for each of the study subjects. To ensure that the required patient data were recorded and transferred to the sponsor for processing and analysis, study coordinators previously relied on Case Report Forms (CRFs).
8. What Is Data Management In This Job?
The MDM (master data management) that the clinical data management must master can be translated as “management of reference data”. It brings together all the methods, tools, and processes guaranteeing that the data is identified and usable without risk. It encompasses everything that makes it possible to constitute a quality repository: data cleaning, consistency, updating and elimination of duplicates.
9. Is There Teamwork In Clinical Data Management?
Working mainly in front of his computer station, clinical data management rarely moves. On the other hand, they multiply the exchanges and participate in many meetings internally within the biometrics department with the data entry officers, the coders, and the statisticians. They are also in contact with all the internal actors of a clinical trial: the project managers, the clinicians, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacovigilance specialists, as well as the CRAs (clinical research associates) who carry out the studies in the clinics and hospitals.
10. How Much Responsibility Does Clinical Data Management Have?
Clinical data management intervenes at each of the stages that punctuate a clinical study. They write the protocol setting the objectives and methodology of the study. They then collect, manage and correct the data, and participate in the validation committee bringing together the study’s principal investigator, clinicians, and statisticians. Their responsibility is strongly committed to the smooth running and respect of study deadlines.
11. How To Improve Clinical Data Management?
The operational efficiency and productivity of the sites can be improved by taking several actions. Some are centralizing information, providing recruitment and screening tools, automating the scheduling of visits, and managing finances – and via correct reporting and indicators and accurate. These challenges can be addressed with Clinical Trial Management Software (CTMS), which serves as the single source of truth for operational clinical data related to planning, management, and reporting of clinical trials.
12. What Are The Main Tasks Of Clinical Data Management?
The main tasks of clinical data management are:
- Design, implementation, and control of inter-study consistency of biomedical database structures
- Development and implementation of biomedical database management systems
- Definition of standards and standard documents for clinical studies
- Realization of computer programs and production of listing of individual data and tables
- Design and validation of data acquisition interfaces (internet, observation book) following the specifications (protocol)
- Technology watch on methods and/or tools
- Regulatory watch
- Management of medical dictionaries used in clinical databases
- Collection and control of electronic files of clinical studies and transmission to the departments concerned
- Proposal for standardization of case reports (possibly)
- Freezing and locking the clinical database
13. What Are The Skills Necessary For Clinical Data Management?
First of all, technical skills:
- Master the methodology of clinical development
- Master the basics of clinical research
- Master all the stages of data management from the design of the CRF to the freezing of the database.
- Be able to design an observation notebook according to the scientific protocol
- Design the clinical database structure as well as the data validation objects
- Be able to validate data validation programs as well as data according to the quality standards that govern this field
- Master good clinical practices, as well as regulatory harmonization standards
- Have strong knowledge of the procedural language
- Master the concepts of data quality and practices in terms of review, consistency, and validation as well as data quality management.
And then, there are personal qualities
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Knowledge in Data Management
- Ability to anticipate and plan
- Able to work in a team
- Good communication
14. What Are The Principles Of Data Management?
One of the goals of data management is to facilitate the discovery and reuse of scientific knowledge by humans and computer systems. The principles work as a guideline for those who want to achieve this goal. These are:
- Findable: Data should be easy to find by both humans and computer systems.
- Accessible: Data should be stored long-term so that it can be easily accessed and/or downloaded.
- Interoperable: The data must be readable and usable by different computer systems to allow sharing and reuse.
- Reusable: The data must be ready to be reused for future research and be processed using computational methods.
15. What Is The Role Of AI And Machine Learning In Clinical Data Management?
Why AI in clinical data analysis? For various reasons, but above all, the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning allows the company to automate the interpretation of huge volumes of structured and unstructured data which, in the hospital context, are generated with such volumes and speed as to make them impossible to interpret in real-time by expert personnel. In any case, it would be an ex-post evaluation on reduced homogeneous data sets, but what is interesting is the interpretation of millions of different diagnostic tests, reports written in natural language, and a mix of data of various types.
16. How Clinical Data Management Helps A Company Save?
Healthcare facilities collect a lot of information every day in the form of texts, numbers, and images of a medical and administrative nature which, if treated appropriately, make an important contribution to the fight against waste of resources. As part of the financial management of a clinic, in fact, in addition to the expenses essential for the operational continuity of the structure, there are expense items that can be mitigated by redefining the processes to which they are linked. To understand what are the knots to be solved in this system, it is important to carry out an objective assessment that can be carried out through data analytics. Implementing optimal management of hospital data, and digital tools, through integration with company systems, allow the processes to be monitored carefully and consistently over time.
17. How To Implement Clinical Data Management?
Beyond the human aspect linked to clinical governance, understood both as empathy towards the needs of patients and the managerial acuity of the hospital’s top management, the approach can be implemented more easily thanks to digitization and the use of new technologies. Through artificial intelligence solutions and Big Data Analytics, it is possible to develop new strategies to improve the management of the facility and raise the level of healthcare. For example, with artificial intelligence and machine learning, it is possible to analyze texts in natural languages, such as medical records, prescriptions, and reports, but also images, such as radiographs, allowing a complete collection of data relating to a patient. This makes it possible to raise the standard of personalization of the service and thus fully respond to the needs of patients.
18. What Is One Thing That Clinical Data Management Should Be Mindful Of?
The patient must be at the center. In this scenario, it is essential to never forget that the priority is always to place the patient at the center, as well as his well-being, as the primary objective. The goal of clinical governance is to make it easier, from every point of view, for people to visit the hospital. It is necessary to implement the right strategies to avoid further burdening the patient on the emotional and physical front, evaluating the negative impact that complex situations given by excessive bureaucracy, slowness, uncertainties, and incorrect prescriptions can entail.
19. How Can Clinical Data Management Lead To Better Healthcare?
Another area in which healthcare big data can show its potential is that of data-driven governance of healthcare facilities, which have always grappled with the need to provide high-quality services to their patients, guaranteeing their sustainability. In this context, big data are the main lever of innovation aimed at maximizing the management efficiency of the structures, which every day collect an enormous amount of data deriving from all the processes managed, ranging from administrative activities to clinical operations. However, data-driven governance is not just technological enabling. A profound cultural transformation is needed, aimed at centralizing the value of information within decision-making processes, taking into account that the benefit of the patient and that of the structure go hand in hand.
20. How Important Is It To Be Transparent In Clinical Data Management?
Transparency, in turn, makes it possible to identify significant trends: for example, which services are used by patients and which less, what is the average waiting time for certain services/examinations or for taking charge in the emergency room, such as Specialties are particularly in demand, how and with what performance the available resources operate and much more. Having a clear picture of the services provided, the costs borne, the pathways of the patients, and the effectiveness of the resources, it is possible to arrive at essential indicators in the field of clinical governance such as the degree of prescriptive appropriateness. Starting from appropriateness, it is possible to concretely measure the level of efficiency of the health facility.
21. How Would You Feel If Your Manager Was Younger Than You?
Age does not determine professionalism. For me it is not important how old my superior is, but rather their skills, abilities, and capacities to carry out that position. I am a tolerant and non-judgmental person.
22. What Kind Of Boss Would You Like To Work With?
I would like to work with a boss who is open to new ideas. They need to know how to delegate when necessary, as well as be democratic, and take into account the opinion of everyone around them. I appreciate honesty and openness.
23. If You Could Choose A Company To Work For, Which Would It Be?
I would like to work in any company that helps me grow professionally. I like to work in a good working environment, where I can feel comfortable. That is the best way I can contribute to the company.
24. Why Would You Like To Work For This Company?
I am familiar with your company for many years, I am very impressed by the way you operate. Now I would like to support you with my personal experience and my professional know-how to continue building your brand name. I can relate very well to the values and culture of your company that you emphasize on your website. I know the agile way your teams work from my previous job and I couldn’t imagine working any other way.
25. What Are Your Strengths?
In my last job, my boss often praised me for my targeted and easy-to-understand analyses. I like working analytically and preparing the numbers accordingly. I am very enthusiastic and curious as well.
26. Why Do You Want To Change Your Current Job?
I like my area of responsibility in my current company. However, I would like to take the next step in my career and see the development opportunities in your company. I discovered that you are looking for a new employee in my area. And since I would like to face a new professional challenge that I can identify with so well, I applied straight away.
27. What Did You Like About Your Previous Job And What Did You Dislike?
I liked the advanced training program that my employer used to teach employees new and important techniques. The constant learning process gave me the feeling that I could constantly expand my professional experience. However, I did not like the commute to work and the daily commute, which is one of the reasons why I am applying for her position
28. What Motivates You At Work And In Everyday Work?
I chose this job because I want to help people. A smiling face and the knowledge that I have done something good for the person motivate me a lot. At the end of the day, everything we do in clinical data management is to help patients and humanity overall.
29. What Have Been Your Biggest Professional Challenges So Far?
When I was first hired in a managerial position, the company was severely understaffed. I worked closely with HR to improve the techniques for attracting new talent, resulting in a reduced turnover rate and rapid growth in our team. After the selection process, we built a strong data management team.
30. What Would You Like To Have Achieved In Three Years?
At the moment I’m not thinking about long periods but rather in the here and now. I would like to develop myself further in your company in small steps. You and I then decide what follows, based on my performance and my skills, and what is feasible in your company.
Conclusion
The point of good preparation for interview questions is not to memorize suitable answers. Rather, dealing with typical questions helps you to familiarize yourself with certain topics and to develop a secure feeling for the upcoming conversation, whether face-to-face or in a video interview. Proper preparation will help you present yourself with confidence. Good luck!
