Philips rearranges field organization

Philips Medical Systems North America of Shelton, CT, plans to restructure its field sales organization, the company announced last month. The firm will create four operating units that will be located in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. The four-unit structure will replace the company's previous two-zone sales configuration. Each regional operating unit will function under a regional vice president, and the regional bases' activities will be coordinated with headquarters vice presidents, according to the company. Philips plans to increase its North American sales force by 20%.

The company is making the change to accommodate a more diverse client base, according to Jack Price, president and CEO. Philips hopes the new structure will allow it to respond more quickly and with more flexibility to its customers, which include independent hospitals, national and regional affiliations, HMOs, buying groups, and freestanding imaging centers.