Boston Scientific is rolling out a next-generation imaging catheter in Europe, USA and Japan

Boston Scientific is rolling out a next-generation imaging catheter in Europe, USA and Japan after gaining multiple clearances and approvals from the respective countries and regions. 

A new, improved imaging catheter reflects the struggling Massachusetts medical devices giant’s ongoing strategy of aggressively rolling out new products and snatching up promising companies and technologies in a bid to reverse sluggish or declining sales and revenue. 

The product is also key because of the sector it could potentially bolster. Boston Scientific bills the OptiCross intravascular ultrasound catheter as being a worthwhile update due to “better deliverability” and its ability to enable “higher resolution imaging” for complex coronary procedures. That may be, but during the 2013 first quarter, interventional cardiology sales dropped substantially in the face of global declines in procedures and ongoing reimbursement pressures, following years of declines. So anything that Boston Scientific can do to spark an uptick in cardiology procedures to counter this—and boost the use of cardiology-related products overall—would be a good thing. 

Executives are subsequently making a lot of noise with the product rollout, which is already under way in the U.S. and Europe following FDA clearance and a CE mark. While Japanese approval is also in place, Boston Scientific plans to unveil the product there within a few weeks. Meanwhile, executives plan to announce 2013 second-quarter earnings on July 25, and we’ll see then how the company’s ongoing turnaround strategy continues to fare. 

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties.

Source: Medical Sales Jobs by Guided Solutions

7 Things Every Successful Medical Device Sales Professional Needs To Know - 26/06/2013

The knowledge required for medical device sales professionals to succeed is constantly expanding, and sales training won’t be enough for them to keep up. A post on the Business 2 Community blog nails all the points about why representatives must continuously stay up-to-date with the medical device industry, including medical device industry trends, regulations and competition.

Medical device sales CRM systems can help by bringing the information that reps are typically searching for directly into the system. It allows users to easily keep up with industry news or trends and can even send alerts about a competitor based on news articles or social media posts.

The best part is the system captures all this data from multiple sources and puts it in one place within the medical device sales CRM system. That means busy medical device sales reps don’t have to spend hours searching on the Internet for news or topics that are important to them and their customers.

The Business 2 Community article refers to an anecdote about a “Book of Knowledge” — not an actual publication, but a metaphor to describe the variety of information medical sales individuals need to have at their disposal. The article lists seven extremely important things for medical devices sales representatives to know from the “Book of Knowledge.” 

Who does what: Medical Sales Representatives have to be familiar with the responsibilities and concerns of physicians, staff and administrators.
Medical knowledge: Medical Sales Professionals should be up-to-date with the latest medical device technology, anatomy and studies relevant to their devices.
The competition: Individuals in Medical Sales must understand how their competitors’ devices work.
The hospital: Medical Sales Representatives need to know the rules for visiting labs and operating rooms.
Issues and ethics: Medical Sales Professionals should be knowledgeable about areas such as regulation and health care reform, as well as NHS structure.
Economics: Individuals in Mediacal Sales Jobs should know how money flows through hospitals and the health care system.
Medical device sales skills: Reps must always be revising their approach to keep up with customers and medical device trends.

Keeping medical device sales reps informed about everything they need to know requires input from sales trainers, managers, marketing and IT, the post explains.

Source: Medical Sales Jobs by Guided Solutions

Samsung medical device sales spiked in 2012

Samsung, the South Korean consumer electronics giant, expects its medical device sales will hit the $500 million mark this year. As Reuters reports, that's a substantial jump from $300 million in sales booked during 2012, an increase made possible by acquisitions. The company acquired diagnostic ultrasound company Medison in December 2010 in a deal Bloomberg said at the time surpassed $262 million. Samsung has pledged to build a major presence in the medical device and technology space, in large part by snatching up players in the MRI and computed tomography spaces. But Samsung's ultimate sales goal remains much higher: It expects its medical equipment products to reach $10 billion in sales by 2020.

ACQUISITIONS IN MEDICAL SECTOR

Yoon Boo-keun, the president of the Samsung's corporate design centre now oversees the medical equipment business, which was added to the consumer electronics division in 2012. Samsung Electronics acquired a controlling stake in Korean ultrasound equipment firm Medison in 2010 and its affiliate later for around $300 million in total, its biggest ever acquisition in the healthcare industry. Yoon expected medical devices sales would reach $500 million this year, up from $300 million last year, and will grow with the acquisition of companies that make MRI scanners and computed tomography machines. Samsung Electronics has said it plans to spend 1.2 trillion won in the medical equipment business by 2020 to make it a $10 billion operation by then. In the long run, Samsung Electronics aims to become a global healthcare leader, taking on GE, Philips, Hitachi, Toshiba and Siemens.

Source: Medical Sales Jobs

Territory Manager - Woundcare - South East London, Kent and Sussex - Up to £33k + £10k OTE

Territory Manager - Woundcare - South East London, Kent and Sussex - Up to £33k + £10k OTE

Why Is Better Training The Key To Success In New Medical Device Sales Model?

Rapid technological advances and an ever-shifting marketplace require a nimble and forward-thinking approach to medical device sales. Companies frequently are adopting new technologies in response to how selling in the industry is changing.

The most critical component of any implementation is the training that goes along with it. Product- or feature-based training no longer is enough. The key is to train everybody how to use the tool in relation to how they do their work. That means an end user would be trained differently than a manager.

An article on the Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry website lists three steps that can help ensure that the company’s first-line management (FLM) team is equipped for the work required and given every opportunity to thrive.

Define roles clearly from the top down, leaving no question about hierarchy and decision-making responsibility.

Select people whose skill sets fall into line with those required of managers, which does not necessarily mean promoting the best sales people into management positions.

Providing sufficient resources and ongoing skills development. This is particularly important for managers who lack experience or are relatively unfamiliar with the corporate culture.

One way to ensure that managers are sufficiently supported is to put the right customer relationship management (CRM) system in place. Managing by spreadsheets, phone calls and emails is considerably different with the right CRM system.

On the other hand, the shiny new system will only be effective if users are trained how to use it in the context of the way they work. Otherwise, they’ll simply fall back into their old habits and the company won’t gain the full value of the system.

One of the major oversights in training that we see is for managers — specifically, how to manage with these new tools and technologies. One of the greatest risks of failure is to roll out a new system but not teach the managers how to manage using the tools. After all, if an end user’s manager is not using the tool and encouraging use, then people tend to fall back on what they know. This all too often leads to a failed implementation of the CRM tool.

By following the steps above and integrating the sales force with a reliable, comprehensive CRM system, medical product manufacturers can take advantage of an under-leveraged opportunity in the industry — a well-trained, fully attuned FLM team nimble enough to adjust to the ever-shifting medical device industry.

Source: Medical Sales Jobs by Guided Solutions

Medical Sales Job Prospects in 2013

MedReps recently sat down with medical sales consultant Scott Moldenhauer, to discuss job prospects in 2013 and find out what sales professionals can do to become more successful this year. 

MedReps: Scott, one of the biggest challenges today must be for sales professionals looking to break into the medical sales field. What’s your advice for someone with a decent sales resume looking to make the transition into healthcare? 
Scott Moldenhauer: The number one thing for any salesperson is to have a good track record. Keep in mind that hiring managers see a lot of candidates so they want to know that this person can get results, can they make my daily existence better and will they be coachable. Candidate then needs to make sure they stand out by bringing something to the table that no other applicant has – literally bring a portfolio into an interview that contains articles they may have written, awards, letters of recommendation – anything that will show that they can knock it out of the park. 

MR: What kinds of specific skills are companies looking for in an applicant that might set them apart from other candidates? 
SM: Companies want to know that a candidate is a hard core sales person, whether they have worked in the industry before or not. A hiring manager also wants to know that an applicant will be able to get results, be polished in front of physicians and is a person that is overall pleasant to be around. 

MR: What about medical sales people already working in the field – what can they do to become more successful? 
SM: I would say that one of the most important things is business acumen, and by that I meant that a medical sales person has to keep up with changes to the industry. They have to know that because of those changes, the healthcare system is basically making the decisions – not physicians. So, it’s a balancing act. A good medical sales person will have to be able to make sure that they are not only selling the best possible product, but one that fits into new financial guidelines and is the most cost effective for patients, hospitals and insurers. 

MR: As far as establishing a rapport with clients, what can medical sales professionals do in terms of making the overall relationship better? 
SM: Well, it goes back to the last question. Medical sales people have to ask themselves what can they do to make sure the sale makes the most sense for the physician. But, they also have to make sure they are asking all the right questions to close the sale and evaluate if they are really working their territory in the most intelligent way possible. 

MR: Can you name some specific challenges facing healthcare sales representatives and what do you do to help motivate them? 
SM: One of the biggest challenges will be for a medical sales representative to make sure they are providing the best possible value and to show that they have a physician’s best interest in mind. The other challenge always is getting in the door – if they can show a doctor that their company’s product is of value then the client will be willing to see them more often. As far as motivation goes, no one can motivate a medical sales person, it has to come from them. A good salesperson will always want to learn more about the business. They want to strive to take it to the next level by practicing their pitch, reading more and listening to motivational tapes so that no matter what happens within the industry, they will always be an appealing candidate. 

MR: Do you have any predictions for the industry as a whole next year – are there any potential issues that you see that might hurt overall profits or stifle sales? 
SM: The key thing to remember is that every year we read negative headlines about doom and gloom and every year the world keeps moving forward. So as far as what’s happening in the industry, medical sales people need to look for opportunities. Sales people need to constantly change their message to fit the times and new challenges. For example, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will be something they will need to understand more of – so they need to ask doctors about their criteria then craft their message to fit those goals. 

MR: What can a medical sales person do that will help him/her sell more products? 
SM: Again, it goes back to the fundamentals; always make sure they give their clients the best possible value that’s the most cost-effective for patients and the system. 

MR: As a consultant, what do you tell managers about what they can do to tackle problems and help their teams perform better? 
SM: I find that a lot of teams are simply stuck on the basics of selling. Managers need to go beyond just the benefits of selling to ask specifics like how can my medical sales people get better access to physicians and how can I help my team overcome managed care and cost challenges. They need to look at the broader picture and change the message to fit 2013. 

MR: What about the so-called “patent-cliff” Scott? Take for instance Pfizer, which just announced it had to cut 20 percent of its sales force due to the patent loss of Lipitor – how are stories like this affecting morale? 
SM: Reps need to be keenly aware of their situation and if they feel there may not be enough growth where they are, to start looking for new opportunities. A good medical sales person can transition into a smaller medical device company, or say from pharma to medical device. It’s about knowing where those opportunities are. 

MR: If you could give one last piece of advice to people looking for medical sales jobs and those already working it the field what would it be? 
SM: Candidates should look at the job boards to find out who’s hiring, then make personal contact with people within those companies. A good medical sales person will never give up. There will always be opportunities for those with the right skills. 

As President of Persuasion Consultants, Scott works with top companies like Bayer, Teva, and Medtronic to help their medical sales teams be more effective.

Source: Medical Sales Jobs

Medical Sales Jobs by Guided Solutions

Guided Solutions is a top executive search agency specialising in recruiting medical sales representatives and marketing talent for the UK's top medical device and pharmaceutical companies. Founded in 2000, we are a dedicated healthcare recruitment company with over 50 years of combined experience within the medical devices industry. 

Guided Solutions is a Medical Devices Recruitment Company with a demonstrable track record of success over the past 12 years. Our list of clients is ever growing and we are working with blue-chip global medical devices companies as well as small local start-ups. Some of our clients include: Smith and Nephew, Arthrocare, Medtronic, Synthes, LeMaitre, DJO, 3M, Crawfrod Healthcare, Cook Medical, Coloplast, Baxter Healthcare, Eschman, GE Healthcare and many more. 

At Guided Solutions most of our recruitment consultants have been with us for over 8 years, so we have a wealth of experience within the company and a pool of knowledge about the medical devices industry, the client companies and our candidates.

If you are a Medical Sales Representative or you are looking for a job in medical sales, we invite you to view the job opportunities listed on our website. 

We are updating our website on regular basis with our latest medical sales jobs as well as latest medical device news. We encourage you to visit the Medical Device Sales section of our website for more detailed information. 

In addition, you can also join us on the social media networks, we are on Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter and Google Plus and we are regularly updating current vacancies in the Medical Device Sales Industry.

As a Medical Device Recruitment Company our main focus is on Medical Sales Jobs and we place over 400 candidates in the industry every year, however we place candidates in Scientific Sales and Pharmaceutical Sales as well so please check the respective divisions for more information.

The Medical Sales Representatives we place are selling a vast range of Medical Devices and Medical Equipment to Hospitals, General Practiotioners and Surgeons.