Study Analysis: Pay-By-Procedure Vs. Pay-By-Visit

This article examines the early impact of implementing a pay-by-procedure payment model in a large, multi-site clinical trial. With the study approximately 15% complete, an interim review was conducted to understand how actual payments to selected high-volume sites compared with their budgeted contract line items. The analysis draws on key study parameters — including an 18-month timeline, 85 participating sites, 1,900 enrolled patients, and eight scheduled visits per participant — to provide context for evaluating financial performance.

By focusing on whether real-world procedure counts align with initial expectations, the article explores how this payment strategy influences cash flow, transparency, and operational experience for both sites and sponsors. Through early trends and preliminary data, readers gain insight into the potential advantages and trade-offs of shifting from traditional visit-based payments to a more granular, activity-driven approach, while preserving the full assessment for the complete post-study analysis.