The Role Of The “REP”

In Your Office

Kim Heineman, PMACSecretary, ASPMA

Office Manager @

Steven D. Meinhold, PC, Omaha, NE

What is a “REP”?

•Pharmaceutical and medical device sales

people, or representatives, who are

employed by a pharmaceutical company

and/or device manufacturer or distributor

to inform and educate physicians about

their products.

Essentially there are 3 types

of representatives:

•DRUG Rep

•BIOLOGIC Rep

•PRODUCT/DEVICE Rep

The DRUG Rep

•Represents a pharmaceutical company

which produces one or more synthetic

medications for physicians to prescribe

to their patients.

The BIOLOGIC Rep

•These are the reps who have a LOT of

explaining to do and this is where it gets

interesting for geeks like me!

•WHAT IS A BIOLOGIC

and how does it differ

from a traditional drug?

BIOLOGICS

•A biologic is manufactured from a

LIVING CELL

(human, animal, or plant)

to create a complex mixture of

molecules,

whereas traditional “drugs” are

manufactured through chemical

synthesis.

Examples of Biologics:

•Allografts / Skin Grafts

•Surgical Applications

•Injections

•Topicals

•These are made from dehydrated or

cryopreserved placenta membranes,

stem cells, animal skin, etc.

The PRODUCT Rep

This is the person who comes in representing a

company that manufactures or distributes products or

services:

Durable Medical Equipment

Home Health Agencies

Surgical Hardware

Wound Care Suppliers

In-home devices

BUYER BEWARE!

While most reps strive to form relationships with offices and further strive to keep and service you, as an “account”, you must always make sure they are proficient with their product.

They must always be kept up to date on billing and coding for all DME.

Your office manager should also be double-checking to make surethat billing codes for DME are still valid. Codes change often.

Don't rely solely on the rep to give you the most current information...always do your homework.

What is the goal of the rep?

•Their main goal is to get “face time”

with physicians so that they may

introduce or explain their product

Do’s & Dont’s

•DO: Provide valuable education

•DO: Leave samples and coupons (very beneficial to

patients)

•DO: Schedule lunches so staff benefits and rep gets their

face-time with the doctors.

•DON’T: let them disrupt the workflow

•DO: Take iPad and have doc sign; DON’T have them

“corner” the physician.

•DO: Move to quiet area when talking

Provide Education

•Most reps come into the office

armed with educational

information, case studies, research

studies, efficacy rates, etc.

•You WILL learn SOMETHING!

Samples & Discount Cards

Most reps leave samples which docs can

dispense to patients to try before writing

a script.

Discount cards, coupons, and specialty

pharmacies. 100% beneficial to patients.

(*Must know where to send certain rx’s)

Lunch & Learn

•The best way for reps to get face-time

with doctors is to schedule an “in-

service” lunch or breakfast.

•They have time to explain their product

and present their studies.

•The office staff benefits by receiving an

education (and food!).

Do Not Disturb

•Don’t let reps, or anyone else, come into

the office and blatantly disrupt the work

flow.

•Doctors must remain on schedule as a

courtesy to patients.

•Staff must remain focused on tasks.

•Designate one person to interact with

reps.

Need your signature, please.

•Take the tablet/iPad from the rep and

bring it to the Doctor.

•Make sure Doc knows which drug

he/she is signing for and how many

samples are being left.

•Have Doc sign and promptly return

tablet to rep in exchange for samples.

Shhhhh!

•Always move to a quiet area when

conversing with a rep.

•You don’t want patients to form opinions

or overhear a sales pitch.

Dispel the myth…

•The more lavish the gifts to doctors, the more

expensive the drugs they prescribe.

•Quoted from NY Times article: “don’t go to

doctors who see reps”

•Bakalar, Nicholas. “The More Lavish The Gifts to Doctors, The Costlier the

Drugs They Prescribe”, NY Times, October 25, 1017, Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/25/well/live/the-more-lavish-the-gifts-to-

doctors-the-costlier-the-drugs-they-prescribe.html

Dispensing a Sample

Correct or Incorrect?

•The Dr. can hand the patient a boxed sample

drug for them to take home

and start using?

INCORRECT!

•All samples dispensed must be labeled with

the patients name and instructions for use.

•The patient should be educated on the drug

and given the opportunity to ask questions.

•Document the patients chart with rx name and

lot number.

Inventory

•Any pharmaceutical coming into a

medical office should be in a secure area

of the office which can only be accessed

by staff, OR kept in a locked cabinet.

•EVERY individual product is accounted

for with a lot #.

•This is a FEDERAL REGULATION.

Beneficial or not???

•Research supports the premise that doctors who

see reps DO have better outcomes. A 2012 report

in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension

concluded that physicians who do not see reps

were four times slower to react to positive

information about new products and studies, as

well as to negative information about recalls and

adverse effects, compared to physicians that

routinely see reps.

Keep in mind…

•They are salespeople and they are trying to earn

a living just like you and me.

•They are paid very well.

•In-service luncheons benefit staff.

•Lavish dinners – educational (and get to try

new restaurants!).

•Their products can greatly benefit patients.

THANK YOU!

Podiatric Medical Assistant-

Someone who is able to do 50 things at once,

both clinical and clerical AND deal with

fussy patients all while smiling

My Contact Information:

•Kim Heineman, PMAC

•Email: kheineman@mfs.omhcoxmail.com

•Cell: (402) 630-9985

•Thank you!