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CRAACO: Clinical Research as a Care Option

Date: Sep 15, 2025

Location: Philadelphia, PA

The Conference that Helps You Plan the Convergence Journey of Research and Care

Embedding clinical research in the care setting can lead to higher rates of clinical trial participation inside of a health system, better health outcomes, lower cost of care and more satisfied patients. The CRAACO® conference is a unique opportunity for pharma, healthcare and patients to come together and address how we can integrate healthcare and clinical research to improve patient access to clinical trials.

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Key Topics​​​​​​​

  • The Business Case for Integrating Clinical Care and Clinical Research
  • Help get more patients access to the option of clinical research, especially in underserved and community care settings
  • How pharma can bridge the gap between research and care and to help health systems bridge the gap between care and research
  • How to help more physicians, clinical sites and community hospitals to be research ready
  • Regulatory and policy update on clinical research as a care option
  • Understand and work through payor issues for patients in clinical trials

Co-Chairs

Jeff James
CEO
Wilmington Health System

Kimberly Barnholt, PhD, MS
Executive Director, Evidence Generation Leade​​​​​​​r
Genentech

Featured Speakers

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Nadir Ammour, MBA
Global Lead, Clinical Innovation & External Partnerships
Sanofi

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Susan Budinger
Director of Research Operations,
Duke Office of Clinical Research

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David Levitz, MD
Medical Director, Early Phase Clinical Trial Program
Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center

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Candice Fitzgerald
Global Clinical Development & Operations
Boehringer Ingelheim

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Sean Lynch
Innovative Capabilities Head, Innovative Trial Operations
Novartis


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Adam Kinsey
Associate VP, Clinical Operations Regional Head North America
Merck

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Emily Ray Ko, MD, PhD
Hospital Medicine Specialist
Duke Regional Hospital

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Karen Peterson
Cancer Patient Advocate, Founder
Karen's Club

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Donna O'Brien, MHA
National Advisor
Manatt Health



Pharma and Health Systems Collaborating to Improve Access to Clinical Trials

Benefits to Health Systems

  • Structure research around the continuity of care
  • Build capacity to activate clinical trials to be research ready
  • Develop the next generation of clinical researchers
  • Be on the cutting-edge of research to provide patients with more options

Benefits to Pharma

  • Getting Patients more access to clinical trials
  • Reduce the gap of health inequity and reach diverse patient populations
  • Reduce barriers to participation in clinical trials
  • Greater access to real-world data to help pair the right patient to a clinical trial
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5 Goals of CRAACO

At the annual Conference and throughout the year, CRAACO aims to:

1. Bring together a variety of health systems, pharma, patient advocacy, payors, regulators and innovators to chart a path forward integrating clinical care with clinical research options.
2. Demonstrate practical examples, strategies and success stories from health systems and pharma navigating the intersection points of research and care.
3. Demonstrate tools to integrate clinical trials into health systems safely and for the benefit of patients.
4. Identify ways to reduce the barriers and burden to clinicians, research investigators and patients to participate in evolving, expanding and important clinical research.
5. Encourage continued forward movement, inspire further action and unite like-minded individuals and organizations.

2024 Sponsors

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