Medical Sales Leader ShareGroup

September 2018

Sales executives participated in the Medical Sales Leader ShareGroup at the Streamlining Healthcare Expo and Business Exchange in Chicago last month. This ShareGroup, facilitated by Michael Messner of Sysmex, discussed the following points about the current state of consolidation:

Consolidation within the supply chain

• Consolidation creates new barriers to entry for distributors, but there are ways to opportunize it
• Local distributors are advised to think broadly and enter the national market to stay competitive

Responses to consolidation and GPOs

• Smaller distributors respond to consolidation by focusing on service, and elevating themselves
• Distributors reach out to new-to-market manufacturers and new products
• Innovation: Looking for the next new thing allows manufacturers to respond to GPOs, keeping them relevant