Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically changing a clinical study in progress are disclosed. A data collection server receives patient diary data from patient diary software executing on remotely located study participant computers and stores the patient diary data in a diary database. The data collection server determines whether any study changes have been defined in the patient diary database for the patient diary software executing on the study participant computer. In response to determining that a change has been defined, the data collection server downloads change data to the study participant computer. The study participant computer receives the change data and automatically alters the execution of the patient diary software based on the change data.