InforMedix supports clients preparing to displace their own – and their competitors’ – products with transformative technologies, new levels of automation or other advances not yet experienced by end-users.  Radical changes need “real-world” unbiased assessment from medical specialists who will use the products in practice.

Healthcare professionals are engaged via qualitative market research to discover the viability and value of product proposals. Our new product studies include hands-on prototype testing, focus group evaluations, in-person interviews and web surveys, which are described in more detail in the Concept and Prototype Evaluation section.

When R&D brainstorms new concepts, they need to understand the practical functionality or usability of a prototype before they invest in manufacturing and marketing the product. InforMedix understands the importance of creating an extremely close facsimile of real-life product usage for in-depth concept/prototype evaluations. Moderator Steve Fuller induces clinical participants to imagine all possibilities for the use of a device in clinical practice. Digging even deeper, clinicians are encouraged to consider every aspect of product usage — from ergonomics in everyday use to exceptional situations that may occasionally arise.

Prototype evaluations can be conducted in a variety of environments, depending on the intricacies of a procedure being simulated and budget parameters. Clients can observe respondents testing a concept within a medical setting (hospital, physician office), an observation room (with clients in another room), or a conference room in a hotel or workspace. InforMedix takes into consideration the individual product concept as we develop each study.

One of the more challenging aspects of product marketing strategies medical industry manufacturers encounter is pricing a product to capture its value. Maximizing profits and also providing perceived value to the hospital and healthcare organization is a fine line to walk for many manufacturers.

Through various methodologies, InforMedix is able to provide our clients with solutions to optimize pricing strategies. One-on-one discussions or focus groups with clinicians and purchasing professionals will lead to insights for price range while also revealing price sensitivity issues.

One new method InforMedix has pioneered is the simulated Value Analysis Committee (VAC) study. A guided group discussion includes decision makers from a variety of hospitals– surgeons, nurses, purchasing managers, and hospital administrators. In addition to price points, this simulation with decision makers offers our clients invaluable insight into how new devices will be evaluated when a vendor approaches the hospital during product introduction.

For clients, a new market may include a geographical region, type of healthcare facility and/or a new medical specialty.

• New Geographic Market — Clients may consider introducing their product into a new geographical region as they recognize that their market penetration in one area has reached a plateau. Discovering a new country to introduce a product has consistently been viewed as one of the most important areas of growth for healthcare companies — especially for large and mid-sized manufacturers. As healthcare systems vary from country to country, it’s critical to learn more about each country’s specific healthcare systems and purchasing practices in addition to local competition. InforMedix has conducted numerous multi-country studies where we enjoy strong partnerships with local market research firms.
• New Type of Healthcare Facility — Manufacturers often realize that the procedures that their products are being used for are now being performed in a different type of facility. One common transition is a procedure that was normally performed in the hospital setting is now being done in outpatient clinics. Clients needs to learn how their product is really going to be used in this new facility and who is using it.
• New Medical Specialty — Often, clients are surprised to learn that their product is being used for a different medical specialty in addition to the original specialty. This can be an exciting discovery and can open avenues for marketing the product to a new “customer”. Clients need to learn how the healthcare professional is viewing this product and its use in clinical practice. One-on-one interviews with the end-user can accomplish this goal.

Two prominent factors in a healthcare company’s decision to acquire another company or a new technology are:

• The company wants to fill in gaps within a specific product portfolio; and/or
• They want to gain control of a revolutionary technology.

As clients begin to strategize their plan for an acquisition, they will contact InforMedix to conduct an objective study at how the target product will perform in a clinical environment. Collaborating with the client, we will recruit future users of the product and trial it in a controlled setting. Asking impartial questions about the benefits and weaknesses of the product will provide insights as to how it will be accepted in clinical practice. Clinicians and administrators must view it as an added value to their hospital or facility – both economically and clinically.

When a manufacturer is facing price competition in the healthcare market, one option is to redesign their product so it’s less costly to produce and distribute without losing delivered value and brand image. Often, clients discover their customer base is divided into tiers — based on economic and clinical factors. It’s critical to learn which customers need only the basics and which need it full-featured and for various price structures. When redesigning the product, this information will facilitate the ability to meet specific users’ requirements without wasting resources.

With this segmentation in mind, InforMedix speaks with end users about features they really need compared to features that are appealing, but are not really necessary in their practice. Conducting one-on-one interviews (in-person or via web) or moderating segmented focus groups will provide direction for R&D and marketing groups.