Medical device sales roleplay: the value analysis committee chair
Karen chairs the hospital's value analysis committee, and your device costs more than the one they use now. Justify the price with outcome and workflow evidence, and win approval for a trial.
The buyer
Karen
Value analysis committee chair at a regional hospital
- The situation
- You sell the Arclo S2, a fictional single-use surgical stapler that costs more per unit than the hospital's current device. Surgeons asked to try it. Karen has given you a 20-minute meeting before the committee reviews it.
- Personality
- Analytical, fair and focused on cost per case. Not swayed by surgeon enthusiasm alone. Wants data she can present to the committee.
Hidden concern (for whoever plays the buyer)
The hospital is under pressure to reduce operating room time. If you can show a credible effect on procedure time or reprocessing work, she has a reason to support a trial despite the unit price.
Fictional training scenario. Names, companies and products are invented for practice.
Your goal
Justify the higher price with fictional outcome and workflow evidence, and win approval for a time-limited trial.
Success looks like
- You asked what the committee needs to see before presenting
- You framed the cost per case or total cost, not the unit price
- You proposed a trial with clear success measures
- Karen agreed to put the trial to the committee
The opening line
"I'll be honest, the surgeons like it, but your unit price is higher than what we pay now. Convince me it's worth putting in front of the committee."
Karen, value analysis committee chair at a regional hospital
How a strong start sounds
An illustrative script for the first exchange. Say it in your own words; the point is the shape of the reply, not the exact lines.
- Karen
I'll be honest, the surgeons like it, but your unit price is higher than what we pay now. Convince me it's worth putting in front of the committee.
- You
That's fair. Before I make the case, what does the committee usually need to see to approve a trial of a higher-priced device?
- Karen
Evidence that it reduces total cost, not just that surgeons like it.
- You
Then let's look at cost per case rather than unit price. Is operating room time something the committee tracks?
Curveballs to expect
Karen won't make it easy. Be ready for these.
- "Surgeon preference isn't evidence."
- "Your study was in a different kind of hospital. Why would it apply here?"
- "If we trial it, will you hold the trial price afterward?"
- "Our current supplier just offered us a discount to stay."
Scorecard
What a reviewer, or your own replay, should listen for. The criteria lean on Gap Selling.
| Criterion | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Understanding the committee | Asks what criteria the committee uses and what evidence it finds convincing before presenting. |
| Total cost framing | Moves the conversation from unit price to cost per case, including time and reprocessing. |
| Honest use of evidence | Presents the fictional evidence accurately, acknowledges its limits and doesn't overclaim. |
| Trial design | Proposes a time-limited trial with agreed success measures that Karen can take to the committee. |
| Handling the incumbent's discount | Responds without disparaging the competitor and brings the discussion back to total value. |
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To run this exact persona, rebuild it in the scenario builder (Starter plan and up), or run it with a colleague.
Fictional training scenario. The Arclo S2 and its evidence are invented for practice. Nothing here is medical, clinical or regulatory advice.
Questions about this scenario
What is a value analysis committee?
A hospital group that reviews new products and supplies, weighing clinical evidence, cost and workflow before approving purchases or trials.
Why does this scenario use fictional evidence?
So you can practice presenting evidence honestly without referring to real products or studies. On real calls, use only your company's approved data.
Who should practice this scenario?
Medical device reps who sell into hospitals, and candidates preparing for medical device sales interviews.
Objections in this scenario
Scripts and methods
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Run it until it feels easy
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