If you sell a MedTech product, service or solution that occasionally or always has to go to a committee for scrutiny prior to a purchase or contract here are some questions that you need to know.
Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. You may not always get the answers but it’s a sin of omission if you don’t ask!
Hospital Committee Meeting Frequency:
- How often do you meet?
- Do you publish a meeting calendar for the year?
- Where within the facility do you meet?
- Are the committee meetings open or closed to suppliers?
- Do you publish minutes of the committee meeting? Are these committee meetings confidential?
- Does every committee member attend each meeting?
Hospital Committee Size:
- How many people are on the committee?
- How did the hospital determine the committee size?
- Are there any sub-committees within the committee? If yes, what are their names and how many people serve on them?
Hospital Committee Composition:
- What are the names and titles of the individuals that serve on the committee by department function?
- Can I get a list of who serves on the committee?
- Who does the committee report to within the organization?
- What are the requirements to be on the committee?
- Who developed the committee?
- Who is the chairperson of the committee? How long has this person been the chair?
- Who are the most vocal or influential members of the committee?
Hospital Committee Charter:
- How was the committee’s areas of focus/charter chosen?
- What information can we provide to the committee that they would find of value?
- What are the committee’s mandates or priorities?
- Are there other committees or members that we need to address?
- Do you let suppliers present to the committee?
- Can we get a copy of the committee’s agenda?
- How long has the committee been in existence?
Hospital Committee Authority:
- How does the committee make a decision?
- Are the decisions of the committee based on quality, price and/or other factors?
- What are the decision criteria and weighting that the committee uses to assist in a decision?
- What is the weight of each vote on the committee?
- What is the voting process?
- Is the decision the committee makes binding and final?
- How often does the committee vote yes, for a new product/service and it does not get implemented?
- What company has been most successful with your committee? Can you explain to me what they have done successfully?
- What specific metrics does the committee look for from each vendor?
Hospital Committee Process:
- Once the committee makes a decision what happens next?
- Do all of the members of the committee have an equal vote?
- If 100% of the committee members do not agree how is a decision made?
- If the committee vote is split 60-40 for the change, is the committee committed to the change?
Parting Thoughts
Hospital committees are now an integral part of the buying process. Knowledge of these committees will increase your likelihood to match your products, services or solutions to their business and clinical requirements and decision making process.
© Strategic Dynamics 2014. All Rights Reserved
