frequently asked questions
hystrix is a cutting edge eProcurement & eSales SaaS B2B software that revolutionizes the healthcare industry’s procurement process. The platform is dedicated to digitalizing the crucial Source-to-Contract component of the procurement lifecycle, making it seamless and efficient for both buyers and sellers. With a single integrated SaaS platform, we facilitate digital price negotiation, contracting, regulatory information and master data management, and provide real-time data insights.
Our vision for hystrix goes beyond just procurement. We strive to be the global hub of healthcare market information, bringing together cross-industry collaboration and cross-border partnerships to enable ever-increasing network benefits for all platform users.
Unlike traditional webshops or ordering platforms, hystrix offers a unique approach to procurement. Accredited healthcare provider buyers access hystrix as “buyers,” where they can either upload their existing product catalogues or explore an extensive range of product listings uploaded by other buyers and sellers. This flexibility enables them to curate a customized “basket” of products from different sellers, engaging in standardized price negotiations directly on the platform before finalizing framework contracts.
One of the key strengths of hystrix is its integrated delivery tracking system, which empowers buyers and sellers to monitor the status of their order fulfillment in line with contracted quantities. By seamlessly integrating with ERP systems, the platform ensures a smooth and hassle-free experience, providing real-time updates and ensuring timely recontracting of products.
This digitized approach brings forth enhanced efficiency, significant time savings, and a higher level of transparency and supply chain security throughout the entire procurement process. With hystrix, procurement becomes a streamlined and reliable journey, making it stand out in the market.
The hystrix platform primarily caters to healthcare provider buyers (HCPs), including Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), hospitals, retirement homes, and medical practices. We firmly believe in fostering collaboration and connectivity within the healthcare industry, which has historically been highly fragmented.
In pursuit of this vision, sellers of all kinds, including manufacturers, importers, and distributors of medical, pharmaceutical, and non-medical products, are invited by buyers in a specific country to showcase their products on our platform. The core functionality of the platform is offered to these sellers free of charge.
This inclusive approach ensures a diverse and extensive range of high-quality products readily available for buyers to explore. By having access to reputable sellers who have been onboarded by other buyers within the same country and industry, HCPs can discover alternative products to those they typically contract or purchase, empowering them to make informed decisions that best suit their organizations.
Regrettably, hystrix is not designed as a distribution channel for those without existing clients in a given market. Access to our platform is exclusively granted to sellers through referrals from existing buyer users of the software.
To register for a demo or request access to hystrix, simply complete the contact form available at www.hystrixmedical.com/contact-form. Alternatively, you can send an email to support@hystrixmedical.com with your access request.
While our primary focus over the past years has been in supporting the digitalization of the healthcare sector, the hystrix platform can also be adapted for use in other industries. The platform operates on the ECL@SS classification system, allowing all types of products (not limited to healthcare-specific items) to be listed, negotiated, and contracted. If your company engages in framework supply contracts with numerous sellers for replenishing products, hystrix can be an ideal solution for your needs.
By using hystrix, healthcare providers (HCPs) can optimize their procurement process and make it more efficient. They can digitally procure the majority of their product requirements, eliminating the need for lengthy quotation processes and physical meetings with suppliers for straightforward products. Hystrix simplifies contract agreements to three key parameters: quantity, price per unit, and contract period, making negotiations quick and convenient.
HCPs benefit from immediate and up-to-date product prices on hystrix, significantly reducing the time spent on acquiring and evaluating quotations. The platform enables them to explore alternative product sources and discover new options, especially crucial with the implementation of new Medical Device Regulations (MDR). Additionally, by using hystrix as a digital information channel, HCPs help suppliers optimize their distribution costs, leading to competitive prices and substantial savings for both parties.
On average, hystrix users experience a remarkable 65% reduction in process costs per supplier, and up to 10-15% improvement in prices for first-time contract initiations. While the latter may stabilize after initial negotiations, the enduring process efficiency allows procurers to efficiently onboard more sellers each year, utilizing the same workforce.
For suppliers, hystrix offers a strategic approach to identify which products require personal support and which can be considered self-explanatory and easily contracted through the platform. With approximately 70% of their product portfolio defined as self-explanatory, suppliers can focus on enhancing customer orientation for complex products and invest their saved costs into professional support for complex products.
The new sales structure achieved through hystrix streamlines operations, enabling suppliers to efficiently cater to both complex and commodity product areas, elevating market visibility, and gaining a sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, hystrix addresses a crucial pain point by encouraging suppliers to upload product data and regulatory documentation on the platform, significantly reducing administrative tasks and facilitating seamless information access for HCPs.
With hystrix, suppliers enhance their sales efficiency, customer focus, and regulatory documentation management, positioning themselves for greater success in a dynamic marketplace.
For healthcare provider buyers, the hystrix SaaS contracting software operates on an annual subscription basis. The annual fee is determined based on the turnover of the respective buyer counterparty and the number of users requiring access, ensuring a fair and tailored pricing structure.
As for the seller community, the core platform functionality is entirely free to use. However, there are optional add-ons, such as ERP integrations and access to specific modules like Data Insights, which may involve separate recurring fees and one-off setup charges.
With our transparent and flexible pricing approach, hystrix provides a cost-effective solution for healthcare providers, while also supporting sellers with a range of optional features to meet their specific needs.
At hystrix, we prioritize simplicity and flexibility for sellers, eliminating the mandatory requirement for list prices. While sellers have the option to provide prices, many prefer to upload product catalogues without prices. This approach allows sellers to offer buyer-specific pricing privately, ensuring confidentiality and personalized agreements.
Some sellers decide to include list prices and, indeed, even include tiered pricing levels for each article that is listed. They do this so that they can strategically manage particular buyer groups based on volume alone, e.g. retirement homes or medical practices, without the requirement to negotiate on small volume requests.
hystrix operates within virtually isolated rooms, ensuring maximum privacy. List prices (if given) are visible to the supplier themselves and all buyers but remain hidden from other suppliers. Only the buyer who contracts with a specific supplier can view the final negotiated prices, mirroring the current market situation where hospitals negotiate different prices based on their unique requirements and volume demands and other hospitals have no visibility into the purchase conditions of their peers.
Most sellers have attempted their own webshop development but found that healthcare providers simply ignored them. As the average hospital has between 2,000 and 3,000 suppliers, it is understandable that having that many usernames, passwords and accounts to access is not practical. This is where hystrix makes sense as it is in effect the one-stop digital platform in the industry to negotiate and contract, plus obtain product master data. As the platform is free, sellers generally upload their entire product catalogues, rather than just a portion of it.
For products, use the minimum single unit price, whether you provide a list price or respond to an offer round request. For example, if a box of 100 gloves is priced at EUR 5, the single unit price would be EUR 0.05, representing the cost of one glove.
Absolutely! hystrix offers various promotional opportunities for suppliers. You can feature products on the platform’s homepage or use hystrix’s news channels, including regular newsletters and social media announcements, to promote your offerings. The newly expanded supplier profile function also allows suppliers to engage buyers exclusively within their own effective shop-in-shop, enhancing visibility and market presence.
Absolutely! Hystrix has partnered with GS1, facilitating direct sharing of product master data into the platform. For sellers who are not GS1 or firstbase (Switzerland) data pool members, they can easily upload master data via an excel template, available in multiple languages.
Yes, you can. Hystrix allows the uploading of all MDD/MDR documentation, such as CE certificates and Declarations of Conformity. Additionally, the platform digitalizes the expiration dates of these documents and sends alerts to sellers when renewals are approaching. This ensures timely updates, and buyers can conveniently download these essential documents directly from the platform when contracting products.
Integrating your ERP system with hystrix offers several valuable benefits for both buyers and sellers:
- Automatic “Basket” creation: buyers can seamlessly create “baskets” for contracting on hystrix directly from their ERP system. This streamlines the process, saving time and effort in product selection prior to the launch of the Offer Round.
- Automated contract updates: critical contract details, such as supplier/HCP name, product article, price and pd of the contract, are automatically uploaded to the integrated ERP systems of buyers and sellers. This ensures accurate and up-to-date contract information, minimizing manual data entry.
- Catalogue update automation: sellers can effortlessly keep their product catalogues up-to-date on the platform through an ERP system integration. This automation saves time and reduces the risk of discrepancies in product listings.
- Real-time order fulfillment tracking: the Tracking module utilizes ERP system integration to track order fulfillment levels. This enables automatic updates of HCP orders, ensuring timely alerts to both buyers and sellers when a product reaches 75% ordered vs the contracted quantity.
- Compatible ERP Systems: hystrix currently offers full integration with SAP and Microsoft Dynamics/Navision. Additionally, we are continuously expanding our integrations, with more ERP systems planned to go live this year.
By integrating your ERP system with hystrix, you unlock enhanced efficiency, real-time tracking, and streamlined processes, contributing to a more seamless and successful procurement experience for both buyers and sellers.
All contracts on hystrix are based on the hystrix General Terms & Conditions (“GTC”), outlining the rights and obligations of the contracting parties, as well as hystrix as the platform provider. Users agree to the GTC when they first log in to the platform and whenever updates to the GTC occur. The contract commits the procuring and supplying institutions to purchase or supply specific quantities (number of units) of an item at a certain price (excluding VAT) during a defined contract period.
Buyers have the flexibility to choose whether the quantities are committed or uncommitted, the inclusion of volatility (if applicable) in the contract, and whether product quantities are to be held on consignment (including stock levels per product) or not.
For the Dutch platform, the “Algemene Inkoopvoorwaarden Gezondheidszorg (AIVG 2022)” General Purchase Conditions serve as the foundation for all contracts concluded in that market.
Absolutely! Within the contracting module, both buyers and sellers have the option to include specific terms and conditions relevant to their agreement. Additionally, both parties can upload separate schedules or documents in the contracting module, which require consent from both sides when digitally signing the contract.
hystrix provides integrated digital negotiation processes and chat functionality, significantly reducing the time needed to finalize a contract. Moreover, the platform allows for a straightforward renewal of existing contracts upon completion of their duration or fulfillment of the specified quantity.
hystrix is not a party to the contracts made between buyers and sellers on the platform, and thus it is not legally responsible for supplier or buyer performance according to the executed contracts. However, the hystrix team is deeply committed to ensuring positive user experiences. While not legally liable, they actively support users with any questions, complaints, or non-performance matters raised by either contracting party.
Rest assured, the hystrix platform is specifically tailored for products that are regularly purchased by buyers, minimizing the need for protracted negotiations. These products hold limited value-add in extended bargaining processes. Additionally, hystrix seamlessly interfaces with procurement at the buyer organization and not with critical decision-makers like doctors, which means that the relationships sales professionals have with their decision-making counterparts are not interrupted.
Contrary to losing the personalized connection, hystrix actually enhances direct lines of communication between procurers and sellers. Our integrated chat functionality facilitates continuous communication throughout the negotiation and contracting process. Moreover, the platform ensures enhanced security with Two-Factor Authentication, guaranteeing that every interaction is with a specifically named person.
Clients consistently share their positive experiences, affirming that hystrix surprisingly fosters improved communication on both sides. By using hystrix, you can confidently strengthen your connections with buyers and sellers, streamlining the procurement process while maintaining personalized engagement.
In the case of an offer request, healthcare providers can choose whether to reveal their identity to suppliers or remain anonymous. Based on experience, suppliers tend to be more responsive and create more appealing packages when the procuring party makes itself visible. Currently, the majority of procuring users opt for visibility.
Any supplier introduced by a participating buyer can list products for contracting on hystrix. We maintain a neutral stance and do not favor any specific supplier. If original manufacturers are not inclined to list products on hystrix, we proactively request their products be listed by other platform participants, ensuring that buyers can find and contract the products they need.
Each organization designates appropriate users who have the authority to undertake the contracting process on hystrix on their behalf. These users are granted the necessary permissions accordingly. Organizations are responsible for managing and updating hystrix with user logins, ensuring smooth access for authorized personnel and promptly updating user information when needed.
No, each country of operation has its own separate platform with unique suppliers, prices, and buyers. Prices from other hystrix markets are not visible to buyers in a new market. However, international buyers on the hystrix software may in future invite sellers to participate in cross-border tenders. The decision to provide prices for such tenders remains entirely at the discretion of respective sellers.
hystrix is currently operational in Switzerland and the Netherlands. Additionally, we are actively marketing in Germany and the Nordic region, with plans to launch new platforms in multiple countries over the next 12 months.
Yes, hystrix allows you to conduct tenders based on specific product specifications in a market. Suppliers listed on hystrix in the desired ECL@SS category can be included, along with others you invite, to respond to your Request for Information (“RFI”) and, if applicable, Request for Pricing Proposal (“RFP”). However, please note that the hystrix software does not directly interface or claim to conform to individual country requirements regarding tendering obligations at this time.
Absolutely! In 2023, hystrix introduced the hystrixconnect module, empowering healthcare provider groups to aggregate their demand across various subsidiaries or product category managers. Individual users can add their specific product and supplier needs to a “basket,” which the internal administrator can then consolidate and initiate aggregated offer rounds. This module is a significant advancement, offering organizations better visibility and improved conditions when contracting products.
Yes, indeed! hystrix software is now available for Group Purchasing Organizations to conveniently aggregate demand, conduct price negotiations, and establish customized contracts for their member organizations. Additionally, hystrix buyers can independently invite other unrelated buyers to consolidate demand and engage in joint negotiations with sellers. The software represents a major leap forward, facilitating the evolution of the next generation of digital buying groups.
At hystrix medical, safeguarding your information is of utmost importance. We ensure the confidentiality of any data provided by users, including prices, conditions, and existing customers or suppliers. This data remains secure from third parties in general and direct competitors in particular.
To maintain a high level of data security, we adhere to the following standards:
- Access to web applications and services is encrypted using the HTTPS protocol.
- Administrative access to our servers is exclusively through an encrypted VPN tunnel and additional user/password information.
- Web applications and services can only be accessed using user/password information with the added security of 2FA (two-factor authentication).
For comprehensive details on how hystrix adheres to privacy considerations in relation to GDPR, you can review our full Data Protection Policy at https://hystrixmedical.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Data-protection-declaration-of-hystrix-medical-AG_Website_220228_English.pdf.
Rest assured, your proprietary data is in safe hands with hystrix medical, and we prioritize maintaining the highest standards of data security and privacy.
