As the US population ages and healthcare costs surge, both government and commercial payers are looking at the how and where of patient treatment and leaning toward care that delivers higher quality at a lower cost.
As a result, there has been a shift from inpatient to ambulatory or outpatient care settings. There is a growing prominence of ambulatory care and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) as they are cost-efficient, convenient, and provide patient-centered care. These ambulatory facilities now handle increasing types of medical procedures driven by advancements in healthcare technologies, cost management practices, and an expanding focus on consumer-centric services.
As Statista reports,
Why life sciences sales teams should engage with ambulatory care and surgery centers
In this shifting healthcare landscape, life sciences sales teams should be prepared to make a call and position their company to ambulatory care and surgery centers for several reasons.
1. Market Expansion
The outpatient care growth presents a significant opportunity for pharmaceutical and medical device and diagnostic companies to grow their product’s market share.
2. Cost-Effective Care
Ambulatory care and surgery centers are known for providing cost-effective care. This is appealing not only to healthcare providers but also to payers and patients as it reduces out-of-pocket costs. Solutions that offer cost savings or improved outcomes can gain a competitive advantage.
3. Streamlined Decision-Making
Compared to larger hospital systems, ambulatory care centers often have more streamlined decision-making processes. This means that sales teams may have to navigate through shorter sales cycles and quicker adoption of their products or services.
4. Patient-Centric Approach
Ambulatory care settings prioritize patient convenience and satisfaction. Life sciences companies that can demonstrate how their products contribute to better patient experiences or outcomes are more likely to find a receptive audience in these settings.
5. Partnerships and Collaboration
Ambulatory care centers often seek partnerships with life sciences companies to improve their quality of care. Collaborative efforts can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes, such as patient education, better patient care, improved procedures, and advancements in medical technologies.
6. Regulatory Changes
Regulatory bodies are adapting to the shift toward ambulatory care by tailoring regulations and incentives to support these settings. Being prepared to navigate these regulatory changes can give life sciences sales teams a competitive edge.
7. Data and Analytics
Ambulatory care centers are increasingly relying on data and analytics to improve their operations. Life sciences companies that can offer data-driven solutions or products that integrate seamlessly with these centers’ data systems are well-positioned for success.
Adapting to ambulatory care and surgery centers is not only a strategic move for life sciences sales teams but also a necessity to remain relevant in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
CMR Institute offers two eBriefs: Ambulatory Care and Ambulatory Surgery Centers, which help sales professionals understand this setting and prepare them to identify key stakeholders and build a call plan to cover the key team. These eBriefs provide strategies that sales teams can use to find creative ways of improving patient outcomes and increasing savings to the customer by offering patient education programs or tools to monitor quality metrics. Chat with our training experts to add these eBriefs to your training curriculum.