Medical device salespeople help sell and deliver medical device products to providers and clinical professionals.
Medical device salespeople supply all kinds of providers and practices, including:
- Large hospitals and healthcare networks
- Medium-sized networks of provider offices
- Independent individual practices
- Ambulatory surgery centers
- Specialty medical offices
- Family doctor offices
- Urgent care centers
Within this field, medical device salespeople look for targeted opportunities and try to match providers with the equipment they need to help them excel in patient care.
What Is Medical Device Sales?
Medical devices and equipment are instrumental in patient care. They can help providers properly diagnose many medical conditions and are useful in many different types of treatment.
In the medical device sales business, salespeople determine what a provider needs and then work with that provider to make a successful deal. If they’re successful, a salesperson can form a relationship with their providers and become an integral part of the medical device supply chain.
Medical device salespeople rely on knowing information about a practice’s clinical needs. They must analyze a provider’s workflow, understand their specializations and preferred types of care and treatment, and learn more about the practice in which they work.
In understanding who clinical professionals are and how medical teams work together, a medical device sales professional can learn what medical technology a provider needs and in what quantities.
Do Medical Device Salespeople Need To Know FDA Compliance?
Medical device salespeople also need to be aware of some pretty complex regulations and rules regarding the sales and use of different pieces of medical equipment and data.
For medical devices, a lot of the applicable regulations come from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA approves and monitors various medical devices and maintains standards for sellers, buyers, and users.
Medical device salespeople should not only be aware of these regulations and approvals, but they should also consistently refresh their knowledge and make sure their information is up to date.
Why Do We Need Medical Device Salespeople?
The medical industry needs medical device salespeople because they are ambassadors for products that help clinical providers do their jobs effectively and efficiently. These salespeople are often the first point of contact for medical offices or facilities when they need new equipment or supplies.
A hospital or doctor's office may not always seek out information about the best new devices on the market. Because of this, new technology might not get into patient care centers without the help of medical salespeople.
Salespeople can also answer questions that providers may have about how medical technologies work.
How Does the Sales Process Work?
Every company’s medical sales process is a little different. However, many of them follow some similar guidelines.
First, the medical device salespeople will generally make an effort to understand the market and the individual customer.
Then, they will conduct research on prospective buyers and attempt to initiate connections with those prospects.
Along the way, the medical device salespeople will identify any stakeholders that they'll need to work with to close their deals.
This is particularly important in the healthcare field, where each office may have various stakeholders who may or may not work directly with patients. Medical device salespeople may have to work with receptionists or assistants who function as gatekeepers, filtering requests for their respective providers.
Then, medical device salespeople will identify areas for growth, present solutions, work through logistics, and hopefully complete a successful deal.
Some companies talk about a “customer journey,” in which the medical device salesperson functions as a guide. Meanwhile, others focus on developing a “life cycle” that includes not just sales but also support for established customers.
Companies also tend to focus on different types of medical devices.
Some categories of medical devices include:
- Capital equipment, such as imaging machines
- Single use devices (i.e. syringes, catheters)
- Implantable (i.e. hip prothesis, pacemakers)
- Imaging (i.e. ultrasound and CT scanners)
- Medical equipment (i.e. anesthesia machines, patient monitors, hemodialysis machines)
- Software (i.e. computer aided diagnostics)
- In vitro diagnostics (i.e. glucometer, HIV tests)
- Personal protective equipment (i.e. mask, gowns, gloves)
- Surgical and laboratory instruments
Typically, each of these types of medical devices goes along with a specific segment of providers.
For instance, a family doctor’s office will generally not have an MRI in-office for routine use, which is why patients are referred to either outpatient offices specialized in diagnostic imaging, or to an in-network hospital for use of their diagnostic imaging department.
Medical device salespeople who specialize in a given type of device should get to know their market and what types of facilities their prospects work in.
4 Tips for Medical Device Salespeople
Here are some common tips for medical device salespeople who want to work accurately and effectively.
Be Adaptive
Yes, preparation is a key part of the job — but there are always going to be unknown factors when you're presenting medical devices to actual customers. Being adaptive means identifying mismatches or unfilled needs and meeting them with a brand-new strategy. You’ll need to be versatile and be able to change a plan quickly when necessary.
Represent Brands Well
As you represent your brand, it’s important to be as knowledgeable as possible about offerings and support options. You should also be able to communicate effectively and present products in a positive and compelling way.
Thought authority and knowledge are major assets in this job role.
Following Through
When trying to close a deal, it's essential that medical device salespeople promptly follow up and follow through.
The typical metal medical device sales deal should include various “touch points,” or points of communication. At any of these points, a deal can fall through due to the lack of an effective follow-up.
The Bottom Line
In the healthcare world, medical device salespeople take point in locating prospects and promoting new medical devices to clinicians. Oftentimes, it is these connections that drive medical and technological advancement in patient healthcare.
Whether you’re just getting started in medical device sales or you’ve been in the field for a while, let AcuityMD make your life easier. With our software and access to our databases of providers, locating prospects can become the easiest part of the job — all you have to do is be adaptive, communicate, represent, and follow through.
Sources:
The Device Development Process | FDA