The development of a comprehensive medical-surgical distribution agreement

The selection of a medical-surgical distributor has become one of the most important decisions made by a hospital materiel manager today. It is therefore critical that before a distributor is selected a clearly defined development process and master plan be established. This master plan should contain, at a minimum, (1) a comprehensive strategic plan, (2) a detailed request for proposal, and (3) a detailed project implementation schedule. A well-structured, well-executed plan will help to ensure that the best distributor is selected and that the best possible distribution agreement is designed.