July 9, 2025- Government contracts can be big and bulky, and the processes can be lengthy. But the product is pretty much the same as it is in the commercial healthcare equipment marketplace.
“And people are people,” said Bob Charron, vice president, government and contractor sales, CME Corp. “They all have different angles about how they buy and why they want to buy, but the biggest challenge of the federal marketplace, specifically, is the contracting rules and regulations.”
The sales cycle is longer because there’s more administrative work to be done and rules to follow. But the VA is a lot like other hospital systems. All healthcare providers want to buy a product that’s going to work for their patients, their staff and bring them good overall value.
“If you can get in front of a customer, you’ve got a much better shot at selling something in the VA space than if you don’t get in front of a customer, just like in a commercial hospital system,” he said.
Like a commercial health system, there’s consistent engagement between the sectors involved on the needs and wants in every department.
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