Finding the correct contacts in healthcare can be difficult and time consuming. Health service managers, business managers and administrators plan, direct, coordinate and supervise the delivery of healthcare and social services.

Managers may be clinical specialists in charge of a specific department or service or they may be generalists who manage a clinic, aged care facility, department, project or an entire facility or system.

 

Change means opportunity

There were more than four million Australians born between 1946 and 1961. Affectionately known today as the “baby boomer” generation they are now aged between 55 and 67. This group represents 15% of the Australian population and due to their huge numbers are providing major challenges to the healthcare system and equally huge opportunities for suppliers.

So what are the trigger points that lead us to the decision that healthcare is the place to be?

• an ageing population
• integration of health care delivery systems
• technological innovation in the areas of remote health service
• an increasingly complex regulatory environment
• restructuring of work and service facilities
• an increased focus on primary and preventive care

 

Six secrets to healthy success

Once you have decided that healthcare is the place to be – the next step is to find out where to start. How will you get traction? If you already engage with the health sector how do you grow your presence and become more embedded in the sector?

 

1              Identify the hospitals and / or health facilities you want to target. Consider the options – do you want to target privately owned and operated facilities?  State-run facilities? Hospitals in your local city or surrounding country area?  Which state or territory?  Who within these facilities do you want to start a conversation with?

For example let’s look at Albury Wodonga Health (AWH) in southern NSW (see Screen 1 below). First established in 1829 the twin cities of Albury / Wodonga sit on the bank of the Murray River and straddle the NSW / Victorian border.

 Screen 1

Note: the screen shots in this article are taken from A-ZGovBIZ Discovery – an online subscription service that provides tools to navigate the complex Australian health, government and education systems. The health data referred to in this article is sourced from A-ZGovBIZ Health

 

2          AWH was first established on 1 July 2009 and was the first cross border public health service to exist in Australia. It operates under an agreement between New South Wales and Victorian governments to provide the largest regional health care service between Sydney and Melbourne. AWH currently supports an outer catchment population of 250,000 and covers the North-East of Victoria and Southern New South Wales.

Having detailed information about the organisation you intend to do business with is critical. Find the contacts on A-ZGovBIZ Discovery – (see Screen 2) and research the agency web site and the parent’s site. Research the contacts via LinkedIn and build relationships with them through a variety of social media tools. Take them back to your web site if the opportunity presents itself. Creating bridges at this early stage will build a resilient relationship.

 Screen 2

 

3              Identify parent and child organisations of the health facility you are targeting. Understand where the organisation sits within the family tree hierarchy (see Screen 3 below). What opportunities are there for your organisation “up and down” the health family tree? Leverage successful client relationships that have already been established by approaching sibling health services or parent services.

Screen 3

 

4              Albury Wodonga Health falls within the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (Screen 3) and covers 125,561 sq/km in area and encompasses 29 Local Government Areas in the central south of NSW including Albury, Berrigan, Boorowa, Cootamundra, Corowa, Deniliquin, Griffith, Gundagai, Harden, Hay, Jerilderie, Junee, Leeton, Murray, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Temora, Tumut, Wagga Wagga and Young.

Many of the key purchasing decisions are made at the District level so it is also important to know who the key contacts are at this level. The Murrumbidgee Local Health District is ultimately run by the NSW Ministry of Health which sits at the top of the food chain (Screen 3).

Screen 4 below illustrates how A-ZGovBIZ Discovery displays the sibling and parent health organisations. Click through to each sibling organisation for an overview of the contacts who make and influence purchasing decisions.

 Screen 4

 

5              Understand the direction the health organisation is travelling and develop solutions consistent with that direction. Build contact with influencers and decision makers at the parent organisation level – see Screen 5 below.

Albury Wodonga Health falls within the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLH). Become familiar with the parent’s priorities. For example MLH has six strategic priorities:

1. Healthcare that meets the needs of rural communities
2. Building skilled and sustainable workforce
3. Improving clinician and community engagement
4. Expanding innovative use of information technology
5. Fostering effective partnerships
6. Provide infrastructure and systems to support growth

 Screen 5

 

6              The ultimate parent of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District is the NSW Ministry of Health (see Screen 3). Learn where the Albury Wodonga Health and it’s parent the Murrumbidgee Local Health District sit within the hierarchy of the family tree – see Screen 6 below. Which are the sibling agencies of Murrumbidgee Local Health District for example? What are the key directives and drivers coming from NSW Ministry of Health that ultimately filter down to the hospital where you started – Albury Wodonga Health?

 Screen 6

 

With so many questions a PhD in Research is needed to successfully navigate the myriad of parents, children and sibling organisations. A-ZGovBIZ Discovery will help your organisation cut through the noise to efficiently and quickly identify the key decision makers and influencers at all levels of the healthcare family tree (Screen 3).

 

Account Management Tool

Your BDM’s and Account Managers can use A-ZGovBIZ Discovery in conjunction with your in-house CRM to identify and manage marketing prospects, build client profiles and relationships. It will save your organisation a huge amount of time and money.

All the screens above were taken from a health segment created within A-ZGovBIZ Discovery – an online subscription service that provides the tools to successfully navigate the complex Australian health environment.

If you would like to find out more about how to target health, government or education in a fully customisable A-ZGovBIZ Discovery license please email sales@azgovbiz.com.au or phone 02 951654703.