Category Captain Management: a new approach for healthcare suppliers to partner with their hospital customers

Hospitals represent a substantial market for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The typical approach by healthcare manufacturers and suppliers to hospitals is to send representatives or detailers to hospitals and meet with representatives of hospital formularies and purchasing officials. Classic channels systems, and specifically, Category Captain Management ("CCM") may provide more of a sustainable competitive advantage than traditional hospital detailing. The purpose of this article is to discuss how CCM might apply as an approach for healthcare suppliers to truly partner with their hospital customers.