Costs in the health care industry seem to climb higher every day, so those working within the industry find it critical to minimize their costs and increase efficiency wherever they possibly can. Many healthcare companies outsource their fulfillment management in health care to health care fulfillment providers that make back-end efficiency their core business. Consider entering the health care fulfillment business or expanding your current fulfillment business to incorporate health care fulfillment. Your potential clients will include hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, medical supplies/device businesses, medical laboratories and medical insurance companies.

If the thought of entering the health care fulfillment business excites you, you'll find many companies you can benchmark against. As you consider which healthcare fulfillment services you can deliver with the most success, keep the following in mind:

1. Ensure your systems and equipment provide technologically advanced solutions that will keep you competitive and in demand among other healthcare fulfillment companies.

2. Understand the regulatory compliance issues for storage and transportation of controlled substances if you're thinking about starting a health product fulfillment service that includes pharmaceuticals.

3. Consider the strategic location of your healthcare fulfillment storage and distribution facilities to minimize shipping costs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Open a health care fulfillment center that focuses on product fulfillment

Health product fulfillment houses might include pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, or you might concentrate on the seemingly never-ending list of hospital supplies like gauze, needles, sanitizers, hygene products, diabetic supplies, wound care and burn care products.

I recommend: Get in touch with Supreme Medical Fulfillment to see all the hospital supplies they stock. When it comes to nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, you should look at FFP Global's capabilities.

Learn from healthcare business fulfillment providers that deal with documents and literature

If supplying clients like medical insurance companies with their marketing and membership materials or handling back-end hospital administrative tasks appeals to you, study the practices of healthcare fulfillment management companies that already provide these services.

I recommend: Like DST Output, consider satisfying the on-demand fulfillment needs of medical insurance companies that include enrollment kits, promotional materials and membership ID cards. Check out MarketPlace Direct, a company that provides clients with services that include automation, printing and mailing form letters to patients and clients, preparation of and mailing surveys, warehousing, packing and shipping.

Consider health care fulfillment services that involve medical devices and equipment

You may find your niche includes product assembly and maybe even some light manufacturing. Consider incorporating those capabilities with warehousing and delivery to build a successful business. You'll find several healthcare fulfillment houses online to benchmark.

I recommend: Contact Nexcore Technology to learn more about the full-service medical device fulfillment services they provide to their clients. Consider the benefits Total Logistic Control gains from working with clients to develop tailor-made fulfillment services for delivering and setting up medical equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Carefully evaluate all your resources, business plan, strategic goals and your competition to ensure you can make your healthcare fulfillment business successful and profitable.