Serving ACOs, IDNs & Emerging Provider Networks: Resources and Sales Model Evolution

STUDY OVERVIEW

One impact of the Affordable Care Act on the U.S. healthcare industry has been the rapid development of influential provider networks like Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs). These groups are playing a bigger role in the payer sector and are accounting for a fast-rising share of total pharma business. Consequently, the Managed Markets function has also grown in importance, with pharmaceutical organizations adjusting their sales model and the type and level of staffing to better work with ACOs and IDNs.

Best Practices, LLC undertook this benchmarking field study to assist biopharmaceutical companies in staffing and serving Accountable Care Organizations and Integrated Delivery Networks in the fast-changing U.S. healthcare marketplace. The study provides Sales and Managed Markets leaders with benchmarks for current staffing and a review of effective sales models for serving ACOs/IDNs.

This study has small/medium company and large company segments.

KEY TOPICS

• Resource Deployment
• Sales Force Structure
• Building Commercial Capabilities
  

• Types of field-based resources deployed to support ACOs/IDNs
• Number of FTEs employed in ACO/IDN specialist roles
• ACO/IDN specialist distribution
• Targeting and servicing ACOs/IDNs- large companies
• Targeting and servicing ACOs/IDNs- small/medium companies
• Clients served
• Educational background
• Preparation & training provided to KAMs supporting ACO/IDN clients
• Best uses of clinical sales specialists (highly-skilled personnel)

• Rapid market changes will require allocation of dedicated FTEs that are structured and trained to serve networks.
• Three-quarters of the larger companies are providing special training to Key Account Managers (KAMs) to prepare them to serve the ACO/IDN segment.