The credibility is already built in. You're just not using it.
The award process is doing heavy lifting you don't even know about.
Membership committee reviewed your submission against competing proposals
Clinical performance, feature comparison, differentiation from incumbents
Supply reliability track record evaluated
Can you deliver at scale across the membership?
What happens when something goes wrong?
Outcomes, clinical evidence, real-world results
Members voted to award. 100% member-chosen.
"The biggest thing suppliers gain on a national GPO contract is credibility. You have been awarded a contract by a membership committee who had to look over your proposal, understand the products, the back-order issues, the recall issues, your ability to serve, your safety contingency plans, your product performance. There's a lot that goes into that award process."
Chad McCormack, Senior Account Executive, Premier
"You should feel honored to get one. There's a lot of work that goes into getting an award."
Dan Toomey, MedBridge Advisors
"Do all hospitals understand that? No. I would be lying if I told you they did."
Chad McCormack
You went through all of that. The membership committee vetted you, voted on you, awarded you.
And then you walk into a hospital and present yourself like you're starting from zero.
The contract manager at the IDN says, "Great, but we're still going to do our own local evaluation." You go through the same vetting process all over again.
Because nobody told the member what already happened.
"Sometimes you get, 'Thanks, glad the national contract launched, but we're still going to do our own local.' And then they make you go through the same vetting process almost all over again."
Dan Toomey
When you reach out to the GPO field rep, here's what happens on their end. Understanding this process helps you give them what they need.
Whether it's bandages, dressings, and gauze or rev cycle management, they pull supplier-reported sales, member PO and AP data to understand where the spend is today.
How much is the member spending in this category? Who are they spending it with? What does the current contract look like?
How much time is left on the agreement? Is it brand new or expiring in a year? Timing matters. If the member just signed, you're dead on arrival.
Is it a category that's having supply issues? Is there an issue going on with the main supplier? If there's pain, there's an opening.
Does this product solve a real problem? Is it clinically differentiated? What's the cost story: not just price at the pump, but total cost through reimbursement?
Not everything makes it through. The GPO rep is protecting their trusted-advisor status. They won't bring something that wastes the member's time.
"A lot of times people just default to the biggest members in the territory. That's where we're going to struggle. What happens if they just signed a contract last month and I walk in and say, 'Hey, want to do this?' but I don't know they signed a contract."
Chad McCormack
"Be honest. 'This is why we think we're a good fit for this health system, but I've had zero traction and zero connection with this member.' That's not a bad response. That's honest."
Chad McCormack
Chad's framework for approaching a member. Simple, memorable, actionable.
What problems do they have? What's happening in this category at this specific health system? Don't guess. Research.
Not features. Not specs. What problem does it solve that their current solution doesn't?
Price at the pump, total cost of the procedure, impact on reimbursement, revenue opportunity on the back end. The full financial picture, not just your line-item price.
"Keep the messaging very simple. Remember: the people that you're talking to probably don't understand a lot of what you're trying to say."
Chad McCormack
"It's not very complicated what people are trying to do. Save money. Reduce waste by saving time on the staff or reducing what's thrown away. And lower the burden on the already-overworked staff."
Chad McCormack
"Any supplier that comes to us with a value prop, we are eventually going to engage because there is going to be an opportunity to present itself."
Chad McCormack
"Even if you're brand new and you're like, 'Look, I don't even know the first place to go. Are you willing to have a conversation with us and talk through this?' I guarantee you 75% of the GPO people will have time to do that. Maybe 50, but you know what I mean?"
Chad McCormack
Run through these before your next member conversation.
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MedBridge Advisors helps MedTech companies leverage their GPO contracts into real member engagement and revenue growth.