OBJECTIVES: To understand site and subject behavior towards use of “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) and provisioned handsets, including usage and access behavior, with reference to two large clinical trials.

METHODS: Participation and connectivity data from subjects participating in two large trials (Trial 1: n=2,000+, web-based solution, caregiver completion (estimated ages: 30 – 50 years), USA only; Trial 2: n=10,000+, app-based solution, subject completion – ages 50 to 85+ years, 20+ countries) collecting eCOA data using BYOD, with provisioned handsets for subjects unable/unwilling to use BYOD, was explored for insights to help inform future BYOD study implementation.

RESULTS: Trial 1 (web): eCOA compliance was 90.7%. The device provisioning rate was 11%. 84% accessed eCOA by mobile device (62.9%, 37.0% and 0.1%: Android, iOS and Windows/Blackberry respectively), 16% by laptop/PC (38.4%, 56.5% and 5.1%: Mac, Windows, or Linux/Unix respectively). Trial 2 (app): eCOA compliance was 83.5% (BYOD: 85%, Provisioned: 83%). The device provisioning rate was 75.2% (29.3% (Finland) – 100% (Slovakia, Portugal)). Site provisioning rates varied from 0 to 100%. 100% provisioning was observed in 46.3% of sites (enrolling 1 – 137 subjects; 33% > 20 subjects). Country-specific BYOD uptake trends did not match smartphone market penetration data (r = 0.36, p = 0.10, reported ownership rates: 34.4% – 88.0%). 59.7% and 40.3% of BYOD subjects used the iOS and Android apps respectively. Highest iOS use was observed in USA (63.7%), UK (63.6%) and Australia (62.3%); and highest Android use in South Korea (91.1%).

CONCLUSIONS: Factors influencing differences in BYOD uptake between the two studies may include: age and geography of participants, acceptance rates of web-browser use vs. app download. In the app study, a large proportion of sites used no BYOD, and country BYOD rates did not correspond to published smartphone ownership rates suggesting that site acceptance may also be a factor affecting BYOD uptake.