Map Governance Before Discussing a Pilot for a Health System

An innovation director interested in a pilot may have a promising idea but no complete approval path. The key account manager can map the health system’s decision process and coordinate appropriate resources. The manager should not imply that interest equals approval, especially when privacy review, clinical governance, and budget sponsorship are separate decisions.

Ask what problem the director wants to explore, which committee reviews clinical impact, who handles privacy, and where budget sponsorship would come from. These questions help the system define its own gates. Explain that any future discussion must follow the organization’s governance and the company’s authorized processes.

In a fictional meeting, the director asks, “Can we start next month?” The manager responds, “Before discussing timing, I would like to understand the approvals your system needs. Who owns clinical review, privacy review, and the budget decision?” The director says privacy and clinical review are separate and no sponsor has been named. The manager proposes a discovery session with those owners rather than offering a launch date.

Draw the sequence of decisions after the meeting and mark dependencies that the account team does not control. During manager coaching, review whether the account manager surfaced an actual decision owner for each gate. A detailed map is more useful than an optimistic timeline.