White Paper: A Medical Device Manufacturer's Guide to Selecting Suppliers

A vast majority of businesses contract suppliers to provide goods and services to supplement their internal resources, including medical device manufacturers. The types of goods and services vary widely, and for a medical company that may include purchasing standard components, the design and manufacture of custom components, regulatory advice and submissions, and clinical study protocols and execution.

For medical device manufacturers, using suppliers is an excellent way to gain access to skills, technology, and other resources that aren’t available internally. However, using suppliers may also waste time and effort on the part of the medical device company and the supplier if not approached correctly. 

After working with suppliers and being a supplier, Maren Nelson, Product Creation Studio's Director of Quality, has learned some key factors to consider at the beginning of a supplier relationship that can help achieve desired results. Rushing to start a project often causes these key steps to be overlooked or set aside for later.

If you are a medical device company considering using suppliers or are already using them — for goods and/or services — don't miss Maren’s white paper on best practices for supplier relationships. The white paper covers:

• When medical device companies need suppliers

• Key differences between standard / OTS and custom part suppliers

• Tools and methods for managing suppliers

• When and how to transition between suppliers and internal resources

Co-produced with ShareVault