How can you approach a hospital value analysis committee effectively?

A hospital's value analysis committee consists of stakeholders with various levels of clinical or technical knowledge. For example, it can consist of nurses, surgeons, department heads, IT or the hospital's business admin. Therefore, you need to communicate value from every angle and try to address potential objections head on. The product needs to be positioned in both plain-speak for non clinical audiences but also have sections that go into detail for technical stakeholders that can understand the nuances of your solution against their existing technologies. Overall, you want to showcase value for patients, improved workflow, impact on length of stay or complications and profit.

Knowing your target audience is crucial if not the most important step in sales and marketing. Consumers (as a whole) don’t want to be sold to…they need solutions to their problems which will differ depending on their management role. You also need to be at the right place at the right time with your messaging so your target audience can consume your content. You can have a great campaign planned but it is a waste of money if your audience doesn’t see it. Identifying a unique value proposition for each buyer persona is key to building trust between the brand and consumer. Buyers are savvy, so make sure your website offers access to a variety of case studies to showcase proven and effective solutions.

Customer profiling is always important. Try to understand your customer first. This will help you to connect with your customers. Always place patients as first priority. Quality, efficacy and safety are three attributes of your product that need to be highliggted.

The most important thing to identify is what is the Value system the hospial / VAC considers in order to achieve its Vision and Mission. Once that is identified, pitching the product or service that can support or enhance the value system would most likely has the consideration.

So many in Med Device poke the Value Analysis teams with a stick, to see if they are real. The audience is Clinical, Financial, Risk Assessment, Quality and C-Suite. They are real. And they want the best product with the best outcomes for their patients, at the best price. Now that we know WHO they are, we can figure out WHAT matters to them. Lots of other smart people on here with good ideas as well!

It is equally important to prepare proper documents to establish claims as how they are presented. One should understand the need of the customers and present the case.

One person can detail your project. You need several to want it, but one person can kill the deal. See if you can get that to "Neutral" from "Against". It's usually a win at that point, and clears the path for the supporters. Map out the players down the left hand column, describe their position across the top (for, neutral, against) and try to move them one spot to the right! You are counting votes!