Becoming Hospitals’ First Port of Call
- Connecting Regional Healthcare as a Hospital Sales Specialist -

Mr. Jinichi Sato, Supervisor, Sales Section 2, Akita Branch, Akita Sales Department, Medical Sales Division, Tohoku Alfresa Corporation

　To not only ensure stable pharmaceutical deliveries, but also address the many challenges faced by hospitals—that’s the job of Jinichi Sato, a hospital master (HM: a hospital sales specialist) at Tohoku Alfresa Corporation working primarily with major hospitals in Akita Prefecture. We asked him about his experiences and what he hopes to achieve.

Please tell us about your work.

My work involves ensuring a stable supply of pharmaceuticals and delivering the drugs needed to healthcare providers. Because drugs go into patients’ bodies, I feel strongly responsible for maintaining their quality throughout the delivery process.
　At present, I work as a hospital master, mainly serving major hospitals in Akita City. I meet with a wide range of people throughout the hospital, including staff from the pharmacy department, physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, hospital administrative department, staff from departments responsible for regional healthcare coordination, and even members of hospital management, such as the hospital director.
　At first, the staff sometimes wondered why a wholesale pharmaceutical sales specialist like myself was talking to their department. But by carefully listening to their problems and continuing to offer proposals that leveraged our Group’s digital services and our network with pharmaceutical companies and other partners, I gradually became someone they would turn to for solutions.
　Another important aspect of my work is connecting regional clinics with hospitals to create an environment where patients can receive appropriate medical care sooner.

What experiences have stuck with you?

　During the COVID-19 pandemic, I assisted with infection control measures at a certain clinic. The device that I proposed costs several tens of millions of yen, and explaining the product’s characteristics was not enough to convince the clinic to install it. Over the course of about a year, I worked with the clinic’s director and a tax accountant to solve the issues involved, while at the same time learning about depreciation, financial planning, and the effect of the installation on healthcare operations. From this experience, I learned that solving the challenges faced by medical institutions requires an understanding of not only pharmaceuticals but also the management of medical institutions and related systems. 
　The perspective that I acquired during that time still comes in useful when I talk to hospital management and administrative departments.

Mr. Sato responds rapidly to queries from medical institutions.

What would you say was the turning point in your career?

　A few years after I joined the company, my four-member section was reduced to just me and a junior colleague due to departures and other factors. This came at a time when the company was preparing for a merger. I also had to take over the work our section manager had handled with medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
　At the time, I was fully focused on increasing my own sales figures. But when I learned that our section manager was leaving the company, I saw my junior colleague’s unease and felt that I had to step up and support the team.
　Of course, I also felt uneasy. But our branch manager told me, “I’m trusting you with this,” and that gave me courage and resolve. With the support of members of other sections and my supervisors, my colleague and I managed to pull through that difficult time, which lasted about half a year.
　This experience taught me the importance of looking at not only my own performance, but the feelings and circumstances of the people around me. Right now, I’m working together with colleagues responsible for other hospitals within Akita Prefecture and trying to strengthen our team as a whole. This experience is where that approach began.

Mr. Sato considers proposals for solving a hospital’s issue together with members of the branch’s medical device team

What challenges do you currently face, and what would you like to take on next?

　The challenge I currently face is how to turn my knowledge and expertise in hospital sales into strength for our organization, rather than relying solely on my own experience and connections. The first thing I want to do is become a person hospitals turn to when they have a problem they want to solve.
　But it’s not enough for me alone to be someone customers rely on. My goal is to share my knowledge and approaches I have developed with colleagues responsible for other hospitals within the prefecture, accompany them on sales visits, and ensure that, as a company, we continue to be consulted by hospitals and contribute to solving their challenges.
　My commitment to this work stems from my experience in the Great East Japan Earthquake, which happened around the time I graduated from senior high school. I wanted a job that enabled me to contribute to the region where I was born and raised, and that’s why I chose a career related to healthcare. We need to keep regional healthcare going even as the number of healthcare professionals and the population decline. To achieve this, we need to connect hospitals, clinics, dispensing pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies to help patients receive treatment sooner. As a hospital master, I want to develop my own approach to hospital sales and share it with my colleagues.

Comment from Mr. Sato’s supervisor

Mr. Manabu Baba, Branch Manager, Akita Branch, Akita Sales Department, Medical Sales Division, Tohoku Alfresa Corporation

“A key figure in our hospital sales going forward.”
　Mr. Sato works as a hospital master (HM) to build relationships of trust with hospital departments and management while solving the problems they face on the ground. His commitment to finding the best solutions to propose by listening sincerely to others and involving diverse stakeholders has earned him the deep trust of those around him. I look forward to seeing him share his knowledge and experience with his colleagues and lead efforts to create new value in hospital sales.

Mr. Sato continues to contribute to regional healthcare with the aim of becoming someone that others turn to when they have a problem to solve.

Notice: This document is a translation of the original Japanese document and is for reference purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy between this translated document and the original Japanese document, the latter shall prevail.