Informing Product Strategy for a Global Medical Device Manufacturer

Learn how IDR helped a leading medical device company engage hospital decision-makers through a custom advisory board to explore purchasing behavior, competitor evaluation, and product development opportunities.

Overview

A global medical device manufacturer was navigating a complex mix of market headwinds and new product opportunities. Internal teams needed a clearer understanding of how hospital purchasing decisions were being made and insights not fully captured by internal research or ad hoc relationships.

To support both commercial strategy and product innovation, the client turned to IDR to build a targeted advisory board of hospital stakeholders.

The objectives were threefold:

• Understand key drivers behind purchasing decisions for existing products.
• Explore how decision-makers evaluate competing solutions.
• Use these insights to inform pipeline development and market positioning.

What We Did

Custom Advisory Board Recruitment: Recruited 12 senior stakeholders involved in hospital purchasing decisions across key US institutions, balancing experience, geography, and product familiarity.

Rotating Membership Model: Designed a flexible structure allowing 2–3 new participants to be rotated in quarterly, keeping insights current and perspectives fresh.

Multi-Format Engagement: Facilitated regular virtual and in-person sessions tailored to client timelines and internal stakeholder needs, enabling both direct feedback and peer discussion among board members.

Outcome

The advisory board provided the client with a structured and reliable channel to gather high-quality market intelligence directly from decision-makers.

Insights from the board informed messaging for existing products, clarified how competitors were perceived by buyers, and guided key decisions regarding new product development.

The rotating model ensured the board remained relevant over time, with fresh thinking and continued alignment with evolving market conditions.