So, you’ve created a groundbreaking medical product – now what? Getting that product into the US healthcare market can be challenging, and requires more than just innovation; it demands a well-planned, strategic approach. This is where our team at Occam Design comes in with our comprehensive Go-To-Market Strategy.

Successfully navigating the US healthcare system means understanding its complex structure, key players, and how they operate. Here, we’ll walk through the major players you need to know and how they impact your product’s path to market.

Key Players in the US Healthcare Market

To launch your medical product successfully, you’ll need to become familiar with the following:

  1. Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs)
  2. Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs)
  3. Health Systems
  4. Military Health System (MHS)
  5. Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
  6. Indian Health Service (IHS)
  7. Value Analysis Committees (VACs)

1. Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs)

Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) help healthcare providers save on products and supplies by aggregating purchasing power. Hospitals, nursing homes, and other health facilities that are members of a GPO benefit from volume-based discounts, allowing them to control costs and improve operational efficiency. Partnering with GPOs can be a strategic step in getting your product on contract with major healthcare providers.

How Occam Design Helps: We assist in identifying GPO partnerships and preparing your product to meet the necessary standards for inclusion in GPO contracts, streamlining the path for broader market access.

2. Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs)

Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) are healthcare systems that coordinate patient care across multiple facilities and providers, including hospitals, clinics, and physician networks. IDNs often form their own purchasing alliances or partner with GPOs to leverage better pricing and product availability. Their focus on coordinated, high-quality care means they carefully evaluate new products for potential impacts on care outcomes and costs.

How Occam Design Helps: Our team supports clients in creating targeted marketing and product presentations that speak to IDNs’ needs for cost control and care integration, ensuring your product is positioned as a valuable asset.

3. Health Systems

Health Systems are large organizations that own and manage hospitals, clinics, and other facilities. They work to provide coordinated care, often with the help of their own GPOs or partnerships with other purchasing organizations. For new medical devices, entering a health system typically requires approval from various internal committees, often including value analysis and quality assurance teams.

How Occam Design Helps: We help clients navigate the complexities of selling to Health Systems, including preparing documentation and meeting quality standards, to facilitate smoother entry into these networks.

4. Military Health System (MHS)

The Military Health System (MHS) is one of the largest healthcare providers in the world, serving US military personnel, their families, and veterans. The MHS has its own purchasing organization and prioritizes products that support both readiness (injury care for deployed personnel) and peacetime health services.

How Occam Design Helps: Our team understands the unique needs of the MHS and helps clients tailor their products and marketing strategies to align with MHS standards and requirements, from procurement guidelines to care-specific standards.

5. Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

The VHA is the largest integrated health system for US veterans, with over 1,380 healthcare facilities, including hospitals and outpatient clinics. Organized into regional Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), the VHA prioritizes products that deliver high value and address specific veteran healthcare needs. Like the MHS, the VHA manages its own procurement processes, looking for efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.

How Occam Design Helps: With expertise in navigating the VHA’s procurement landscape, we help clients position their products to meet the needs of veterans and ensure alignment with VHA purchasing standards.

6. Indian Health Service (IHS)

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is the principal healthcare provider for American Indians and Alaska Natives, offering a range of services across a vast network of healthcare facilities. Operating under a unique government-to-government relationship, the IHS is committed to raising the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives and partners with suppliers who support this mission.

How Occam Design Helps: We work with clients to meet the unique cultural and operational requirements of the IHS, helping to adapt marketing materials and approaches to fit the specific health goals of the IHS and its patients.

7. Value Analysis Committees (VACs)

Value Analysis Committees (VACs) play a crucial role in evaluating new medical products for healthcare organizations. These committees focus on assessing the balance between performance, quality, and cost, making their input essential for product adoption.

How Occam Design Helps: Our Go-To-Market Team knows what VACs are looking for. We assist clients in preparing value-based presentations, highlighting product performance, cost savings, and patient outcome improvements to secure VAC endorsement.

The Importance of a Go-To-Market Strategy

Today’s healthcare market is complex, and a great product alone isn’t enough to succeed. It’s essential to have a well-planned strategy that positions your product with the right message, in the right format, and with the right partners. At Occam Design, we provide a proven roadmap to help you access the US healthcare market effectively, covering each of the critical areas mentioned above.

Our Go-To-Market Strategy includes:

  • Identifying the best-fit purchasing organizations and partnerships
  • Tailoring product presentations for different types of health systems
  • Preparing documentation and marketing materials aligned with regulatory and committee standards
  • Ensuring compliance with various health system and government agency requirements

Ready to Launch Your Product?

If you’re ready to take the next steps toward getting your medical product into the US healthcare market, we can help. Occam Design’s Go-To-Market Team has the expertise and experience to guide you through this process, from strategy formulation to market entry.

Reach out to us today to get started on your journey to market success.

OCCAM Design is ISO 13485:2016 Certified and FDA Registered. As a full-service development firm, OCCAM Design exclusively focuses on medical products and over 30 years of experience developing medical devices, combination products, and consumer healthcare products. OCCAM Design is an innovative leader in developing and manufacturing the highest quality medical devices. We are located in Louisville, Kentucky. You can contact our team at info@occamdesign.com or via phone at 502.714.7200 for moreinformation on working with our team.