medicinman june 2012 issue

A BroadSpektrum Healthcare Business Media’ s Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative

Vol. 2 lssue 6 www.medicinman.net June 2012

This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

In today’s context, the timing of FFE 2012 (Field Force Excellence) by the MedicinMan team is perfect. I am sure this event will be able to bring into sharp focus the challenges and perspectives on the role of FLMs in the changing context. It would also help build and foster excellence- a sure way for the pharmaceutical industry to evolve into “High retention and Low attrition” sector.

Recently I came across an article titled “Talent hunt; the race intensifies”. Employee retention, sales force in particular, has been mentioned as a crucial challenge and the demand –supply imbalance is adding to the woe. This has called for significant efforts to retain and attract a skilled human resource. When it comes to field force retention, one of the major influencing factors is the Front line manager and his role, relationship with his team members, etc. As the saying goes, “people work for people and not for companies”. Take any progressive and growing pharmaceutical organization and talk to its sales management team. The talk will invariably center on the FLMs, their role, quality, responsibility etc. in MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.Let us take a brief look at a typical FLM. Mostly, he is promoted from the ranks of a successful MR or TBM on the basis of

his strengths and eligibility. He suddenly moves into a role of MANAGING OTHERS from MANAGING SELF. Despite companies handling this transition in their own way, he is caught up with the immediate responsibility of getting results through others. Hence, mostly he is forced to focus on results. He loses out/ is deprived of the much needed ON THE JOB COACHING and TRAINING. To unlock a sales team’s abilities, a FLM must spend a significant amount of time on two activities:1. Help the team to understand the company’s direction and its implication for the team members.2. Coaching for performance. This happens very rarely today. Direct time spent on core coaching activity is only around 10 to 30%. Similarly, the FLMs hardly receive any coaching from their managers. Mostly, they are involved in auditing for compliance with standards or solving immediate problems. It is typically an attitude of ‘you are not paid to think, but to execute’. May be, this is the residual effect of early days of industrial revolution - Efficiency, at the cost of effectiveness, thus diluting EXCELLENCE. Attention to execution is important, but not at the cost of ignoring the need to put in efforts to deal with the challenges or demands involving the big picture. There has to be room for flexibility and improvement..

The rut of routine- disturbance in the team climate, low morale at all levels, etc- sets in and all these at a high cost to the companies. I hope the proceedings of FFE 2012 help the FLMs understand what is expected of them. The participation of discerning industry leaders will provide a better framework and clarity. It will also facilitate communication to ensure that the management understands the challenges FLMs face and how best they can be supported. Leaving you with this thought as a way forward… “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”. Aristotle

Guest Editorial by K. HARIRAM; Former MD – Galderma India

FLM is the Fulcrum of FFEffe 2012

MedicinMan Field Force Excellence

Would you like your next territory reorganisation to…..

Cut reps’ travelling by 25%Increase call rates by 10%Ensure territories are balancedIdentify where to recruitBe quick, cost-effective and stress-free Contact: [email protected]

MedicinMan Welcomes Mr. K. Hariram as Chief Mentor

If so, CACI is the answer! Your field force is a very expensive resource. An inefficient field sales operation will cost your company, in terms of direct costs, lost sales opportunities and poor customer service levels.

To structure your field force effectively and quickly you need to work with a consultancy partner who has the tools and expertise to guarantee success. CACI has over 25 years of experience in running territory optimisation projects for some of the biggest names in healthcare, and uses the most advanced territory optimisation software on the market.

Cut travellingA large proportion of a medical rep’s time is spent travelling. This time is unproductive and expensive. CACI has consistently delivered clients savings in travelling time of around 25%.How achievable is a 25% saving? It’s as easy as moving from inefficient structure (above left), to efficient structure (above right). Sophisticated use of the road network means that minor visible changes have a significant impact on the efficiency of the territory structure.

Increase call ratesLess time travelling means more time with the customer. CACI’s clients enjoy increases of 10% in call rates, meaning more chances to sell!

Achieve balanceWhen CACI examines existing territory structures, we regularly find imbalances in workload up to 40%. CACI’s software automatically creates balanced territories using intelligent algorithms.

Targeted recruitmentRecruiting in the right location has a profound impact on the efficiency of your territory structure.Changes in customer base, and locations of existing field personnel could mean that you should be recruiting in a different location to where you’ve lost someone. Also, if you are expanding, where do you add the extra heads – get this wrong and all that happens is that travelling increases, call rates drop and profits disappear.

CACI can advise you where best to recruit for any vacancies.Let CACI do the work!

CACI’s consultancy services deliver very rapid solutions to your field force problems, minimising disruption and eradicating uncertainty. Our consultancy team provides an optimised territory structure in a fraction of the time it would take you to do your reorganisation manually.

Don’t just take our word for it – Nestle Nutrition outsourced its last reorganisation in India to CACI and, according to Dirk Abeel (Global Performance Development Manager - Medical Field Force), “Outsourcing the reorganisation to CACI has not only given us a significantly more balanced and efficient field team, but also meant it happened far quicker and was less painful than if we had attempted it ourselves. We were also able to look at scenarios to give an insight into options for the future structure and development of the field team.”

Would you like your next territory reorganisation to…..Cut reps’ travelling by 25%Increase call rates by 10%Ensure territories are balancedIdentify where to recruitBe quick, cost-effective and stress-free

Contact: [email protected]

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Pharmaceutical companies have managed their business in much the same way for decades. But significant changes in government regulations, market conditions, and technology will force the industry to look for new business models and practices. Companies that don’t adapt face an uncertain and unsettling future.A fundamental and significant shift in the world of healthcare is occurring. Healthcare is rapidly evolving from a world in which we react to disease and illness after it has happened, to one in which we will be doing far more in advance to prevent specific health care problems. The driver for this massive change is the emergence of extremely specialized and highly personalized medical treatments based upon one’s own DNA.

This is definitely not science fiction. Microsoft estimates that at least 50,000 people worldwide are now working in the field of bio-informatics – a field that involves the development of the highly sophisticated computer databases and computational methodologies that analyze a patient’s DNA – a development that is critical to our migration into the era of personalized medicine.

Hyper-growth in knowledge means that every doctor is becoming ever more specialized and niche-oriented. Add to this the looming number of ageing people owing to better living conditions, and declining numbers of medical/paramedical personnel per person, and it’s evident that the war for talent is going to drive much of the agenda of the health care industry in the next few years as very busy doctors meet industry representatives selling complex products.

Medical knowledge is doubling every eight years; this is expected to drop to every two years in the near future. Leading edge research now results in new methodologies, treatments and drugs faster than ever before. For medical professionals, the future is all about “keeping up,” and developing agility for rapid innovation, response, development, and implementation. For pharmaceutical companies, it’s about rapid development and faster time to market. The pace of innovation and discovery is picking up.

A flood of highly intelligent, Internet-connected medical devices has entered the health care industry, providing new opportunities for monitoring and managing difficult health care conditions. A furious pace of innovation has arrived to dominate the healthcare device and medical technology industries.

With the advent of technology, hospitals, which today are physical places; tomorrow, will be defined by the reach of their virtual network of bio-connectivity devices. Hospitals will come to be thought of as an extended community network through which a good portion of their services will be provided. Will our field forces be trained adequately to deal with these developments?

In the next few years, medical packaging will become smarter as it plugs into our home networks. Medicine bottles will be equipped with technology that provides patients advice on how the medicine will be used and when it should be taken. A few years after that, medicine itself will become intelligent: an in-home bio-monitor will analyze the effectiveness of the treatment, adjusting the dosage up or down as appropriate.

Customer service is coming to the health care industry faster than you might think, and nothing will ever be the same. Pioneers such as Minute-Clinic (with the tag line, “You’re sick, we’re quick”) are rapidly redefining the delivery of health care. Once “patients” become “customers,” their expectations of their family doctor and local hospital will have forever changed.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals have long realized this. The overarching message in a recent survey of healthcare professionals conducted by communication agency Publicis is clear. Clinicians are begging for practical help from the industry. More than ever before, they want efficient tools and communications that will help them help their patients. They want to educate and support patients who need assistance, and help them comply and adhere to therapy.

Health professionals are unhappy with the ‘quality’ of representatives that they need

for their practice. Interestingly, clinicians want more ‘nontraditional representatives’ who are very different from what organizations currently train them to be. Clinicians prefer a hybrid of customer service representatives and clinical health educators. These types of nontraditional representatives provide tremendous value around service, education, and adherence/retention support. They will open their doors to pharmaceutical companies and representatives that help them accomplish these goals.

What emerges is the inevitability of transformational change in the pharmaceutical selling model. It is time for new ideas, re-thinking of old models, and the enthusiasm of new leadership to tackle old problems with fresh ideas and energy. Transformational change is not the steady, incremental improve¬ment most industry executives have spearheaded in the past. Success in transformation depends on getting the right changes done right. Transfor¬mation is indeed hard work, requiring intensive engagement with all stakeholders. In a tired and old industry, the challenge will be to substan¬tially change the way the industry operates, as a whole, while building upon its history and culture. Transformation is clearly not for the faint-hearted, and in the modern networked age, it is likely to be far more consuming for industry executives, than any strategic challenge that has come before.

Emerging Trends and the Future of The Pharma Sales Force

Salil Kallianpur

ffe 2012


If you are passionate about Field Force Effectiveness, Efficiency and Excellence,

this is a not-to-be-missed Opportunity!

ffe 2012


Saturday - June 16, 2012 at JW Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai

Confirmed FacultySudarshan Jain –Director, Abbott HealthcareNB Gad –CEO Panacea BiotecK Hariram –Managing Director, Galderma (Ex)Sujay Shetty–Partner; PwCGirdhar Balwani–Managing Director, InvidaIndiaJoshua Mensch-Marketing Director, Data3s; Czech RepublicAparna Sharma -Director HR, Deutsche Bank, India; (formerly, Head of HR at UCB Pharma & Novartis)Keith Pinto –Senior GM Training and Management Development; GSKJolly Mathews –Senior Manager Training, Novartis (Ex)Deep Bhandari–GM, Sales and Marketing Service Organization, NovartisS. Vardarajan-Associate Director; Head of Commercial Excellence & PMO MerckHari Krishna–GM, Sales and Marketing, GlenmarkSalil Kallianpur–Center of Excellence, GSKAmlesh Ranjan-Associate Director, SanofiAventisB Ramanathan–Senior Manager BU Training, RanbaxyVikram Munshi-Senior Pharma ProfessionalAnup Soans -Editor, MedicinMan

Program Highlights08:30-09:20 Power Breakfast–Network with Faculty and Decision Maker Participants09:30-10:00 Introduction - The Future of Field Force by Amlesh Ranjan, Associate Director; Sanofi

10:00-11:15 Session 1-CEO RoundtableThe Future of Field Force-Emerging TrendsSudarshan Jain, NB Gad, Girdhar Balwani, Joshua MenschModerated by Sujay Shetty; Partner, PwC

11:30-12:45 Session 2 - Field Force Excellence - What Should be the HR Approach to Foster FFE?By Aparna Sharma Director HR at Deutsche Bank, India;GBS ServicesFollowed by Panel Discussion with Keith Pinto, Jolly Mathews and B Ramanathan

13:45-15:00 Session 3 – Role of Second Line Manager - by K HariramCanthe Second Line Manager Become the Change Agent for FFE? - by Hari KrishnaPanel – Deep Bhandariand Vikram Munshi

15:15-16:15 Session 4 – Aligning SFE with Commercial Excellenceby Salil Kallianpur, S.Vardarajan and Joshua Mensch

16:15-17:00 Session 5 - The Half Time Coach by Anup Soans - Preview of L&D Program for FLMsEnabling the Front-line Manager to Unleash the FORCE in the Field Force

FFE Registration Form

Please Email us the details of people attending the conference

In case of Group bookings (multiple delegates) please �ll in separate forms giving individual details of delegates. A single cheque for total amount for the total number of delegates can be sent.

Delegate Fees for Service Provider Companies - Rs.7500/- Delegate Fees for Pharma Companies upto 3 delegates - Rs.6500/-

Prices are inclusive of Power Breakfast with Decision Makers, Networking Lunch and High Tea

For the invoice/bill generation – let us know the - Name of the Person, Company Name & Company Address

Cheques should be made in the name of “Knowledge Ventures” and couriered to :Mr.Arvind Nair, FFE 2012 Secretariat, B/205, Ahimsa Enclave, O� New Link Road, Chincholi, Malad West, Mumbai 400064.

First Name

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Company Name & Address

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For further details Contact: Mr.Arvind Nair, FFE 2012 Conference Director Contact : +919870201422 / [email protected]

Bank & Cheque No: Branch :

Amount : Dated :

Alternatively you can make an online payment to the account of Knowledge Ventures the details of the

same are as follows:

Account Name : Knowledge Ventures

Bank name : ICICI Bank

Current Account Number : 122105500002

IFSC CODE : ICIC0001221

Bank Address : ICICI Bank, Malad Link Road Branch, Shop No.6 & 7, Linkway Estate, Malad West, Mumbai 400064.

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FFE Registration Form

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The use of devices like iPad is now widespread. Their convenience and productivity makes them indispensable in our daily life. Professionals, including doctors consider iPad as an essential accessory for their personal and professional work. A Gartner report predicts 80% iPad adoption by pharma sales forces in 2012. Besides interactive detailing, iPad has potential to understand doctor needs, preferences, dislikes and many other Rx factors. Pharma companies are beginning to use iPads to integrate CRM-CLM functions of Medical Reps. iPad has the capability for real-time input from the HO to guide field sales people. So will iPad really be an Enabler of SFE in Pharma given its capabilities?

Active discussions on LinkedIn have thrown up some very interesting points to ponder on. Most pharma professionals agree that use of tools like iPad can be a boon for Medical Reps. The advantages of using a versatile tool like the iPad are:1) They allow the field force to present more effectively and at the same time minimize mistakes and communication errors.2) Response time to doctor’s queries is cut down as iPad allows answers to be pulled down instantly from a content library hosted on the Cloud. 3) The data captured from interactions (pages viewed, pages skipped, links clicked, time spent on page, etc) can provide marketing people with analytics and insights – a new be a source of actionable business intelligence.4) It enhances the value of Medical Reps in the eyes of doctors. The wide capabilities of such a tool transforms Medical Reps from just another source of information into a knowledge and technology partner to help doctors navigate through the endless sources of information as well as how to use that data to improve patient outcomes.5) It allows the head office to collect and collate field reports in near real time.

However, there were several people who had major objections like:1) The iPad is just a dumb tool and is only as good as the person using it. As an analogy, an untrained soldier sent to a war carrying the latest high tech weapon would in all likelihood shoot himself in the foot than make any effective use of the weapon.2) Touch devices are notoriously difficult to utilize for data entry. Medical Reps find it difficult to type data into an iPad as compared to using keyboard devices like laptops and smart phones.3) Security of data was another key issue. Tablets like iPad are easily stolen and thus cannot be used to store any classified or sensitive content.4) There is just not enough high quality engaging content or really useful apps for the pharma field force to use on iPads, yet.5) Though iPad use has demonstrated operational cost cutting, there is no data or actual proof of revenue generation.

The iPad needs to be used as more than just a visual aid. A good CRM/CLM solution on the iPad needs to fulfill the following things: 1) Be a native app. Only native apps allow for the full-fidelity user experience that consumers of today are used to. 2) Fully embrace the iOS app-style of user interactions (gestures, swipes). 3) Be 3G enabled and also be able to work completely offline. 4) Closely integrate CRM and CLM to mitigate any double entry of data.5) Allow customization of content to suit the target audience.

The future is already here. The new generation of employee is tech savvy and has come to see tools like iPad as an essential accessory at the workplace. As pharma companies migrate to the use of iPads, there are a few roadblocks, which need to be smoothened out:

1) Bad content is bad content, whether printed on an LBL or demonstrated on an iPad. More creativity is needed to combine science and aesthetics.2) The tech platforms adopted by the company has to be compatible with the doctor’s tech ability as well. This will allow companies to easily integrate their services into existing services used by doctors.3) Data collection needs to be automated fully and manual data entry by the Medical Rep needs to be made easier.4) Pharma companies need to analyze all the existing data and create new utility apps specifically for their own needs.5) The field force should be imparted special training in use of iPads to allow them to derive maximum benefits from these new tools.

iPad is not the secret sauce. The secret sauce is what is on the iPad. Any advance, which can improve the interactive skills of Medical Reps, is a useful addition, if correctly applied and properly used. Do you have a strategy to make the best use of devices like the iPad in your organization?

Dr. Neelesh BhandariAuthor of MedCom Strategies (www.digmed.in)

Will iPad be Enabler of SFE in Pharma?

Dr. Neelesh Bhandari

ffe 2012


It is mandatory for registered companies to audit their accounts by an external agency. However nobody has thought of conducting such a thorough analysis of all Marketing & Sales activities at specific intervals, by a reputed Consultancy. Marketing & Sales are the breadwinner and the main contributor to the top and bottom-line. Since the strategies are designed in-house and implemented by the Sales & Marketing Team, they always feel that they have done what is needed to reach the goals set for the year. However, it pays to seek the help of a competent agency to assess the in-house strategies and seek their opinion. Is it not better to have another opinion, that too from an expert, before you decide to act? One may wonder whether it is advisable to share all Marketing & Sales strategies/activities that are considered as confidential with an outside agency. However reputed agencies are aware of this and normally keep such information as confidential. If necessary they can be engaged for half yearly review of the sales/marketing performance vis-à-vis budget/target, and suggest course corrections. Such expert opinion can be sought for other important functions like HR, besides Marketing, Sales & Distribution, to ensure alignment of overall strategy of the company.

Some areas of Marketing, Sales & Distribution, which can be referred for scrutiny, are:

• Complete review of product portfolio. Realignment of products, if required and new products that can be launched based on strengths of the organization, and standing in the market place.

• Potential of the market for each product, likely growth in the next few years, level of competition, whether it makes sense to be present in the market for the product/s/range.

• Market share during the assessment year for leading brands of the Company vis-à-vis competing brands; growth rate during the last three years; current year growth rate and market share based on the above.• Quality and quantity of promotional inputs (like samples, gifts, LBs, etc.) for each product - whether adequate or not?

• Contribution by each product to the top and bottom-line – whether adequate ROI is achieved.

• Enhancing the life cycle of all existing brands including change, if any, in composition/formula as per demands in the market place/scientific improvement.

• A complete review of specialty wise customers chosen for promotion of all existing products. Any new segment can be added (depending upon product profile/positioning/indications), or any irrelevant segment can be deleted, number and frequency of calls being made to each segment of customers in a month – are they adequate or not.

• Review of pricing strategy for each product.

• Performance review of each Head Quarter in the field – how many non/poorly-performing H.Qs to be realigned/merged/closed, how many new ones can be opened in current year depending upon business potential for our product range.

Such a periodic review and audit will reveal the positives as well as the negatives within the System in Sales, Marketing and Distribution functions leading to greater efficiency and productivity.

V. Srinivasan

It Pays to Listen to the Expert

Mumbai, India - May 10, 2012 - Health 2.0 announced the launch of its Mumbai chapter, fol-lowing on the heels of its first Health 2.0 conference in India. Health 2.0 provides a platform for health care, pharma, and information technology (IT) professionals to discuss patient-centered health care through the use of newer technology ideas, social media, electronic medical records (EMRs), in addition to leveraging emerging technologies to make health care service more ac-cessible, usable and affordable. Dinesh Chindarkar, Vice President of Operations, MediaMedic Communications; and Health 2.0 Mumbai Chapter Leader, said, “With more than 40 chapters across the globe, including the United States, Europe, and Asia, it’s a huge growing community. The intersection of technology and health care offers so much to patients; it is making health care simpler, more accessible, and affordable. I am very excited to lead the Health 2.0 Chapter Mumbai, in the commercial capital of the country.” Illustrating the iconic Gateway of India in its logo, the Mumbai chapter is poised to spread new ideas between health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, entrepreneurs and those inter-ested in the future of India’s health care. Health 2.0 co-chair, Matthew Holt, stated, “The launch of the Health 2.0 Mumbai Chapter is an extension of the excitement for innovation we felt during the Health 2.0 India conference early this year. India has made significant progress in transforming its health care and we look forward to supporting the Mumbai chapter in its work to drive change and introduce new technologies.” Worldwide, almost 40 international Health 2.0 chapters meet on a regular basis to discuss the latest news, see demos of the latest health IT innovations, and network with individuals who are shaping the industry. The Health 2.0 Mumbai Chapter’s Twitter handle is @Health2Mumbai. Members can also connect on the Health 2.0 Mumbai LinkedIn group. About Health 2.0Health 2.0: The conference. The media network. The innovation community. The Health 2.0 Conference is the leading showcase of cutting-edge innovation transforming the health care sys-tem and is the premiere platform connecting IT innovators to established health care providers. Health 2.0 covers the broadest spectrum of the technology revolution that is shaking up every sector of health care. Learn more at www.health2con.com.

CONTACT:Dinesh ChindarkarVice-President – Operations, MediaMedic Communications+91 – 98206 [email protected]

Health 2.0 Announces the Launch of Its Mumbai Chapter

MedicinMan Vol. 2 lssue 5 Pg 11

Imagination is More Important than Knowledge – Einstein.

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender.

The Moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the Proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would Have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into Jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As They talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he Picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick A pebble from the bag. Now, imagine that you were standing in the field.. What would you have Done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you Have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag And expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with The hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl’s dilemma cannot be solved with Traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.

What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path Where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the Bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had Picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.

Problem Solving Skills

A recent pharma R & D report revealed that the main therapeutic area where majority of pharma companies are focusing is oncology or anti-cancer drugs. Anti-diabetics, analgesics, vaccines and cardiovascular segments closely follow it. A single blockbuster drug from these therapeutic areas can generate billions of dollars.

Physicians are an educated lot who are aware of their responsibilities to serve the community by proper prescription of drugs. The person that acts as a bridge between the pharma company and the physician is the Medical Rep (MR). Hence the importance of conveying the appropriate drug information to the treating physicians and relaying back the feedback for safety concerns or dosage issues. To be able to communicate effectively with doctors, in addition to marketing skills, the MR should have product knowledge and its basic pharmacology, awareness of medical terminologies and regulatory regulations of that country. Majority of MRs have no basic training in medical field to sell the drug. It is very

difficult for a person from a non-medical background to understand the intricacies of the disease or its management and discuss it effectively with doctors. This may be adequate in any other field but not in pharmaceutical field, where the major business is directly proportional to the prescription generated. The biggest shortcoming is that if the MR is not from a medical or allied field than his understanding about the disease process and drugs will not be up-to the mark. A person with a relevant education background and an in-house training will definitely perform better in the field compared to an individual whose knowledge base is not adequate. A properly informed and educated MR is the best person to solve the queries of the physicians and communicate back to the company on important safety related issues. This reduces turnaround time and improves efficiency of the system.

The future of drug industry will be personalized medicine with major research being done in areas like monoclonal drugs, stem cell research and biomarkers. Personalized medicine means that drugs

will be tailor made for each patient depending upon on his genetic makeup and disease predisposition.

As we are progressing towards this goal it is mandatory to train the field force in such a way that they are always up to date with the latest trends and drug discoveries and understand the basic pharmacology of the drugs that they are selling. In the next issue we will carry articles that will educate MRs in pharmacology of drugs related to the common therapeutic areas in the Indian subcontinent. This will help them to upgrade their medical knowledge, prepare them for the future and advance their career goals.

Medically Sound Field Force will Help the Future of Medicine

By Dr. Amit Dang

Hot on Linked

As seen on Indian Pharma Connection

MedicinMan Poll on Competencies for Pharma Front-line Manager

Will the iPad be an Enabler of SFE in Pharma given its Capabilities?

Here’s a startling report from Gartneron latest advances in sales strategy: 80% iPad adoption by pharma sales forces in 2012. http://bit.ly/LfqBCm

MedicinMan conducted its own survey on LinkedIn forums and here are some leading comments that provide valuable insights for those who are planning or have already introduced iPads for field force:

Hermrei Paul Ryan Ong - Field Force Automation Manager at Pfizer, Philippines.

The iPad is just a device; it should be equipped with the right apps for the field force to make them more effective. Some companies provide iPads loaded with pdf versions of product detailing; this does not do justice to the full potential ofiPads.

Mark Bradley, Director at Daiak Ltd; UK

I agree. The iPad is not the secret sauce. The secret sauce is what is on it. The iPad is currently being used whether it is relevant or not relevant in the call because it has to be used as per company direction. As a result the business intelligence is questionable.

A MedicinMan Initiative to Elicit Opinions from Pharma Professionals Globally

Hanno Wolfram is the author of the first textbook on Pharma Key Account Management

Great discussion here! Tablets definitely are no “silver bullet”. They don’t work even when they carry great content! I have talked to many Medical Reps who suspect the tablet being a “control device” for them and they cheat their managers in return.

It is the person who leverages the “fancy” content, the more interesting details, the more appropriate interaction and the better information. This mirrors the company’s mentality! Medical Rep is the person who will make the difference or not! How many CLM/tablet introductions have you seen, asking for and answering Medical Reps requests, needs and requirements, making the tablet their preferred tool?Replacing the sales folder with a tablet is far too expensive and has failed so often already.

Farasat Khan Training Manager - Surgical Business at Bausch & Lomb

iPad can definitely be an enabler of SFE when used appropriately. Many companies have not only introduced but have provided the apps also. Yet, the true challenge lies in generating the pleasure of extraction of valuable data out of it for the Medical Reps. Many companies resort to PDAs/ mobiles for reporting and often the challenge is - the Medical Rep just reports hurriedly without complete details/ observations etc. And often they duplicate the work when company seeks some compiled info on Call Pattern, Customer wise sales trend or competition analysis. Needless to say the FLMs are driving force for any change in field and their buy-in will be crucial in proving this wonder to be wonderful.


There are so many companies out there that are using iPad as an enabler of SFE. Has anyone heard any of these companies stand up and present the commercial gains in hard data?

R. A. Bavasso President, Exploria SPS Worldwide

Mark Bradley asks the most important question. The answer is “no.” No pharma company has been able to present data that a device in the hands of a Medical Rep provides any more commercial gain than paper. There are benefits relative to productivity and message retention but in the noisy market of pharma marketing, it is hard to point to “one” tool as having a direct impact on sales.

In fact, I know of few pharma companies that even attempt to measure cause and effect or ROI. Many feel successful deployment of the iPad is a measure of success. Very sad and telling.

In a desperate attempt to do “something” many pharma think the “action of deploying iPads is the panacea. Someone please tell me how moving from Oracle and tablet PCs to Veeva and iPads will provide any competitive advantage or measure of success.

As a guy who has made his living in the CLM space for 13 years, I can tell you for most pharma, CLM is merely “perfuming the pig.” (American slang for making the Medical Rep look better but not necessarily be more effective)

Albin Paul Director -Health Analytics, CRM, Digital Pharmaat Indegene Lifesystems

I agree,Bavasso.

Pharma must look at CRM/CLM/eDetailing/Digital against backdrop of declining Medical Repnumbers. And then apply the above concepts, to make existing and future Doc-Rep interactions more valuable.

Digital wont see the end of Medical Reps, I’m sure about that, But we wont see the return of old world big pharmalarge Medical Repteams too, even if every top20 pharma comes out with blockbuster drugs. Simple reason its too costly; world had changed. Doctors no longer hold the same authority on prescribing (blame it on Insurance, ordinary folks getting access more medical information on Internet, EHR, Government, anything)

What we will arrive is a scenario where Docs value the Medical Repinteraction and they would request for an interaction. Because for general vanilla info the Docs used to get from Medical Rep, he can now get most of that from Internet. And that will continue to increase provided pharma invests in it. In such a scenario a Medical Rep can’t walk around with a paper material to address the need for each Doctor.

Detailing will become personalized eventually.I know half a dozen pharma companies who have bought iPad and CLM or CRM, but the Medical Reps continue to use it only to access email and some internal documents. Cant give the names, but these are all Top pharma doing this in Asia Pacific, trying these pilot projects to create enough data.

You can’t throw a content library at the Medical Rep, and tell him to use CLM+CMS+CRM to select, which he should use, when detailing. That was the premise of existing CRM systems. CRM solutions were made for Managers and VPs to get reports from Medical Reps, they didn’t make detailing more effective for the Medical Rep. CRM systems put the onus of data entry on the Medical Rep. And truth is sales people hate data entry and they will fabricate the data if it is not helping them.

If you have a content library, then based on analytics it should also suggest the Medical Rep, which content is ideal for detailing to each Doc. The analytics should come from several resources not just from the previousMedical Repwho entered the data. From there the Medical Rep could use his personal capabilities to decide what he should do

The Question is - Are We There Yet? I believe it’s a BIG NO.


iPad is the technology; the software is the CRM, CLM etc. It may have the potential to be the enabler of SFE but it is falling short. Unfortunately, the IT company has to develop what will sell not what will really create the value for the company. In addition, Pharma companies will look at cost, implementation, and support rather than what is going to make the difference. An indication on when we have the right software on the right technology will be evident on the level of business intelligence generated that actually is used for making business decisions like marketing, segmentation etc. if companies are still employing external resources to generate business intelligence to make decisions then that tells me all I need to know about their technology and software. It is a measure of success or failure.

Christophe Vial

MedicalReps generally hate sales aids. They only use it if their manager accompanies them. If not it stays in the bag. In theory, iPads should be able to record whom the product(s) were presented to, how long a doctor stayed on a page, upload the information directly into a CRM system, and prepare the next visit with a targeted message. However in Asia, access to doctor’s surgeries is not an issue yet. Monthly - weekly visits are the norm. Hence Medical Reps see the device more as a monitoring tool more than an aid. WhetheriPad or any other technology, I don’t believe we have any content that doctors can’t access elsewhere. So apart from the novelty / feel-good factor, and the need to monitor field force activities, we haven’t found any unmet needs from the Medical Rep’s point of view.

Kurt Sim Sales Manager at Pfizer, Singapore

It is as interesting to hear so many negative comments on use of iPad for detailing to doctors as to hear positive beliefs that doctors needs Medical Rep interaction as much as before. I didn’t believe iPad can be anything other than a detailing aid till it was demonstrated how it can be a detailing aid as well as a walking encyclopedia for Medical Reps, in terms of customer’s purchasing

history, behavioral aspects and profiling as well as beliefs and principles. As good as it shown, I believe iPad can be more than that. It should be able to recommends specific messages, supporting documents from the vast libraries it can holds or abstracted from the cloud services and in a very interacting manner engage doctors to find the answers through iPad. From then on, every swipe and agreement the customer makes should be recorded and a report given to Medical Rep for review and setting next objective strategy. I am sure numerous pharma companies are rushing to make these methods come true because whoever make use of technology will have higher returns in productivity and sales ultimately through the stronger trust and belief that doctors built with Medical Rep. This is the way forward as the Medical Rep learns to use Excel to look at sales number so will iPad do for them.

Hanno Wolfram - The contributions here are comprehensive. Thanks for that.

It comes to my mind though, that those “negative comments” about the iPad might not really mean the tool itself but could it be that we rather discuss the “moribund” sales model of pharma? You might have read the survey from Booz&Company that 68% of pharma managers believe the “sales model is broken.” Here is a link to an article: www.Innov8.de Let me know what you think: is it really the iPad or are you in doubt about the roles of Medical Reps trying to “hammer a message”?

R. A. Bavasso - The iPad is fabulous! Everyone loves the iPad. The issue is that Pharma thinks that they have added value to the Medical Rep in the doctor’s eyes just because they now have an iPad. So, so very much more needs to be done to improve the value of the rep in the doctor’s eyes than just the latest technology gadget. Anup Soans - Great insights Kurt, Hanno and RAB. Yes, it’s the moribund sales model of pharma that needs revamping.iPad has the power to release the power of medical research to be available at the touch of the screen if the Medical Rep is re-invented to be the Doctor’s technology partner and information editor and business associate.

Steven Lederman

The issue stems with viewing CLM/SFA is a pure technology play. The iPad is only one component. Giving Medical Repan iPad will not increase his effectiveness on its own. The iPad also does not provide any new CLM/SFA capabilities over a tablet computer. You can customize messages with engaging content and capture information about the interaction with either. What differs is the software tool that drives how well that is done. To implement either solution successfully, you need new ways of developing (and updating) content as well as measuring the data, which is returned. It’s these pieces which have not yet caught up with the technology components and which gives any implementation trouble.

Anup also makes a great point about the changing role of the rep. Where he used to be the primary source of information, the new function needs to be to act as a partner to help navigate through the endless sources of information as well as how to use that data to better help patients.

Kurt Sim - Ultimately, it is a combination of manager guiding sales force in managing themselves and their territory with the tools available to them andMedical Reps engaging doctors meaningfully. That is what Anup has pointed out strongly – Medical Rep is not just selling but a partner in using appropriate information for the benefits of patients. It must be realistic and specific so that customers will find it intelligent enough to engage with Medical Reps. Otherwise, any new tools will be redundant and meaningless. I find that iPad maybe a better tool than excel spreadsheet since it can teach, learn and collate so that Medical Reps can use the info to form a good story with the doctors in tandem.

Arno Sosna

The iPad is one of the most transformative technologies to hit life sciences, right next to SaaS/Cloud Computing. Several key factors lie behind this: 1. Classic complexities of PCs simply go away. No moving parts. No window management. Touch based input vs. keyboard+mouse. 2. No moving parts, far less weight. 3. The iOS operating system. Curated by Apple, secure, robust. Automatic, OTA updates, standardized hardware - across the globe.

So, simply from a device perspective, this is the wet dream of enterprise IT. No more OS images, driver troubles, etc. The cost savings achievable by simply switching onto that platform can be re-utilized for sales efforts. Medical Reps enjoy using an iPad. Great to carry around it, unobtrusive and if managed well by IT, full of added value for non-work uses (let them have their games, videos and music). For the first time in ages you have Medical Reps excited about a piece of hardware.

This is where CRM/CLM comes into play. A good CRM/CLM solution on the iPad needs to fulfill the following things: 1. Be a native app. Only native apps allow for the full-fidelity user experience we all got used to by other consumer apps (twitter, facebook, linkedin). 2. Fully embrace the iOS app-style of user interactions (gestures, swipes). 3. Work completely offline. Always-on is still a pipe dream. 4. Closely integrate CRM and CLM. Allow CLM to directly fill up CRM data, to mitigate any double entry of data. Huge time-savings for Medical Reps.

Now, does this directly guarantee more sales? No, of course not. But by lowering TCO and time spent, it frees up necessary resources to focus on increased sales, rather than navel-gazing, non-productive activities.

We know from our customers that they indeed see a heavy uptick in Medical Reps satisfaction, time-savings and lower TCO. Time-savings are being translated into either higher coverage in the field or better work life balance, leading to a happier field force. Some of our customers even go so far and directly attribute higher sales numbers to the usage of integrated CRM/CLM on the iPad.

Being cynical about yet another “game changer” is understandable.

Anup Soans - Thanks Arno; that is indeed helpful information. I think the Medical Rep of the future has to be as much tech savvy as much as proficient in science and selling. The role change is more important than tool change.

The single most important factor in favor of iPad vs other devices, I believe is that doctors have in large numbers taken to iPads for personal/professional use.

If the Medical Repscan use the iPad to seamlessly integrate the doctors information needs with his company’s business intelligence needs through his routine calls, the iPad will certainly be an enabler if not a ‘game changer’.

Game changing will happen when Pharma fixes its broken model and becomes patient centric healthcare companies that contribute to the wellbeing of people in need of health care.

Further reading:Do Tablet Devices Enhance Field Effectiveness? CMR Institute Knowledge Series.https://www.box.net/shared/3737e5c76592233b8c2d

Nakul was born on 9th July 1987 and did his schooling from Ahmedabad. Later, he did his B.Pharm from Banglore, Rajiv Gandhi University, followed by Pharma Management from SIES College of Management Studies, Nerul, Navi Mumbai. Nakul was working with Zydus Cadila as a management trainee.

A sincere person, he was dedicated to his work and company, and would go out of his way to help others, professionally and personally.

After sales closing at office; late night on 28th/29th - 2.45 AM, morning, he was returning home when a heavy vehicle hit him from behind and he died.

His family and friends still cannot believe he’s no more.

May his soul RIP.

And may God give his family strength and courage to overcome this loss!!

By Varun Doshi and friends of Nakul on FB

https://www.facebook.com/NAKULCOOL.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latestpharmanews/420454234651811/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

Young Pharma Professional’s Life Ends in Tragic Road Accident