Developing an International Medical Device Distribution Plan

Posted March 3, 2023

While the medical device manufacturing process is extensive and can often take years to complete, the project is not done after the final iteration is refined and approved. Getting the device in the hands of those who need it — the doctors and patients and other end users — takes just as much effort and consideration. Developing a medical device distribution plan is an essential component of a successful medical device project.

Oftentimes, medical devices receive international attention and demand. Preparing a comprehensive international distribution plan for a medical device enables project managers and entrepreneurs to expand their reach and make the biggest impact possible to users everywhere.

Understand Your Buyer

The first consideration when developing an international medical device distribution plan is to understand the scope of potential buyers your invention can attract. Creating buyer personas is a strategy many commercial companies employ to fully understand target demographics they want to sell to. This is a critical aspect of your medical device distribution strategy to fully achieve your project’s potential.

By creating buyer personas, you can better understand the goals and needs of who is purchasing the product. As international medical markets differ, you will have to conduct comprehensive research to understand the buying habits and best practices of each target market. Learn if your product is best sold directly to end users, including hospitals and clinics, or if working through distributors is more effective.

Developing an international medical device distribution plan necessitates initial target market and buyer research. Equipped with this information, you will be able to move forward with your marketing and distribution strategy.

Learn the Market

In tandem with your buyer personas is general market overview research. Just as each individual persona will vary in their approach, goals and buying practices, so too will international medical markets differ. Learn the markets you are planning to sell in. How does purchasing work for them? In some cases, direct buyers are the only way to sell, and they often come in the form of government entities.

A large part of your international medical device distribution plan will be conducting research into individual markets and learning how they operate. Consider tax practices, legal requirements and procedures in getting federal approval, as well as currency and financing regulations. These key considerations will affect how you market and distribute your medical products, and will likely vary significantly between global markets. Partnering with a trusted international advisor will assist in the research and navigation of distributing your project internationally.

Develop a Distribution Process

Once your distribution plan has been laid out, you can develop a process for getting your product from dock to dock. Understanding international shipping logistics and regulations is essential. International distribution is more than just sending a handful of products overseas. More often than not, this part of the process can take weeks or months to complete, ensuring you have the right quantity, and are paying the proper tariffs, sending to the right destination and complying with other shipping and handling regulations.

Work with your team to develop an international distribution process that can be replicated in other countries and through varying sales cycles. The dock-to-dock process can initially be challenging, but when you are equipped with previous research and experience, you will be able to achieve reliable transportation and distribution of your product.

Continue To Develop Your Marketing Strategy

Marketing and distributing your medical device are ongoing efforts. Continue to conduct research into your target markets, understand the goals and needs of your buyers, and stay on top of marketing trends and distribution strategies. As your product begins to reach and assist end users around the world, you will likely find there are ways to further improve your project, your marketing and distribution strategy, and the lives of patients and caregivers.

Continue to develop your marketing research and distribution strategies. When further innovations and product ideas come to mind, you will have already established means of distribution and development. And when you are ready to begin your next medical device project, you can contact the expert engineers and manufacturers at Nextern. With facilities across the globe, we are set up to assist entrepreneurs and device developers with the design and development of the next great medical device.