IDN Basics

Now that you have interest in the integrated delivery network, there are a few things to know from the pharmacy side. When contacting the right person, you are working with a person that is a director level and above- and often at the Vice President level. The individual hospital pharmacy directors will know this person well.

The conversation is much different... at the individual hospital pharmacy director level, they are interested in policy and products that specifically interest one hospital. The Director of Pharmacy then can diffuse the information's relevance to the purchasing staff based on local policy and procedure. The local formulary is the guiding principle. Inventory management is critical as the hospital staff is observed and critiqued on budget management and inventory turns.

Working at the IDN level, these items are important, but nearly so as the overview and what your company can do for the whole customer. Don't get bogged down into the minutia of trivia, but show your customer the grander view of how you can help their system.