March 6, 2024- One of the easiest paths to efficiency is to get more of the products your health system needs onto the same truck. That’s why many providers partner with a prime vendor distributor to manage the acquisition and distribution of countless medical products from a variety of manufacturers. Using a prime vendor can create significant efficiencies for a healthcare provider – such as fewer purchase orders, more predictable deliveries, shorter lead times, and higher fill rates.
However, some manufacturers resist this approach, and want to handle the distribution of their own products. They may view the prime vendor distributor as a barrier between their sales team and the customer. Here are some helpful points to reassure manufacturers that distributors are useful partners for both ends of the medical supply chain – providers and manufacturers alike.