Outsourcing with Confidence: A Guide to Successfully Hiring Specialty Expertise Consultants in Healthcare

Outsourcing, partnering, or hiring specialty expertise consultants—regardless of the term used, this practice is becoming increasingly prevalent in the healthcare industry. Faced with budget cuts, downsizing, and layoffs, manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, biologics, and combination products are turning to external consultants with specialized expertise and a deep understanding of ever-changing quality regulations. This approach allows these companies to supplement their internal teams cost-effectively.

By leveraging capital budgets from new product development, healthcare manufacturers can augment their internal “skeletal crew” with highly skilled, specialized consultants. These consultants bring comprehensive skill sets, enabling them to contribute significantly without increasing departmental overhead, all while maintaining control over the entire project. This model is becoming a standard part of the industry.

However, a key concern remains: How can companies outsource without compromising quality and consistency? Here are five essential steps healthcare manufacturers should follow when hiring a consultant for their next project:

Select the Right Consultant

Choose a highly skilled consultant with specialized knowledge and the right background, business acumen, and interpersonal skills. The consultant should enhance internal expertise, serving as a productive team member who can advise, teach, and motivate. They should also be adept at resolving conflicts, managing deliverables, and understanding all tasks required to complete the project, including managing risks and changes.

Ensure Adequate Project Preparation

Proper preparation is crucial. The consultant should collaborate with the hiring department to identify project needs and develop a comprehensive plan of action. This stage should include a project start-up checklist, project charter, stakeholder analysis, and a communication plan.

Understand Project Management

As the project progresses, both the hiring department and the consultant should have a clear understanding of performance expectations and project management strategies. This ensures alignment and clarity in the ongoing phase of the project.

Ensure Proper Project Closeout

Schedule a staging meeting with the hiring department, as dictated by the contract timeline, to review the project’s status and determine next steps. The consultant should assess project performance, verify the completion of all tasks, transfer knowledge to the internal team, and formally close out the project.

Identify Lessons Learned and Apply Them

After project completion, conduct a lessons learned session to identify successes and areas for improvement. Evaluate whether the project stayed within budget, met the schedule, delivered the intended outcomes, and maintained the required quality. Document these insights for future projects.

Successful projects require the right consultant with strong interpersonal skills, structured planning, the right tools, and insightful management. By following these five steps, you can ensure your next project is a success.

For Further Assistance and Resources

If you have any questions or need further guidance on selecting the right consultants, please feel free to contact me at: brette@qualitysolutionsnow.com

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to streamline the process, you can explore our pool of skilled consultants.