Creating a Stronger Route to Market for Medical Devices

An international medical-device manufacturer engaged us to assess entry into Myanmar with a portfolio of diagnostic and patient-monitoring equipment. The company needed to understand hospital demand, purchasing processes, distributor capabilities, and the after-sales requirements necessary to build customer confidence.

Demand existed across private hospitals, specialist clinics, diagnostic centres, and institutional buyers, but procurement structures and budgets varied significantly. Several distributors claimed national coverage, although their technical support, sales capabilities, and inventory management were difficult to verify. The client was also concerned that insufficient maintenance and training could affect product performance and brand reputation.

We developed a phased market entry strategy supported by customer research, opportunity sizing, distributor assessment, and service-network planning. The strategy prioritised products and customer segments where the client could establish a credible technical and commercial position.

We interviewed hospital managers, clinicians, biomedical engineers, procurement teams, and medical distributors. Purchasing criteria were assessed across product quality, price, training, warranty, maintenance, and availability of replacement parts. Potential distributors were then evaluated through structured commercial, operational, and technical criteria.

We recommended entering with a focused range of diagnostic and monitoring products rather than the full portfolio. Two distributors were shortlisted for further negotiation, with one serving private healthcare accounts and another supporting institutional channels. We also advised the client to retain control over technical training, warranty standards, and distributor performance reviews.

The engagement gave the client a clear market entry sequence and reduced dependence on unverified distributor claims. Commercial discussions began with a smaller group of qualified partners, while the focused portfolio simplified regulatory, inventory, and training requirements. The client gained a stronger foundation for protecting service quality during expansion.