Comments on: Pitching Doctors Education (and Drugs) http://punctuative.com/2007/01/11/pitching-doctors-education-and-drugs/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:37:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Matt http://punctuative.com/2007/01/11/pitching-doctors-education-and-drugs/#comment-612 Matt Fri, 12 Jan 2007 17:55:47 +0000 http://punctuative.com/2007/01/11/pitching-doctors-education-and-drugs/#comment-612 Sarah: Great perspective - thanks for sharing, and showing exactly why blogging works as a knowledge refinement/thought genesis tool. As you suggest, I would expect PCP detailing operates differently in Forrest, IL than in the more densely populated areas I'm suspecting you visited(?). ROI is more difficult to justify, and competition less intense, so, barring eDetailing, visits lengthen. Note Dr. Brewer's assertion that he could replace his detailers (as many as six) with one to two patient visits per day. Anway, he's likely an outlier and your clarification is well received! Best, Matt Sarah:

Great perspective - thanks for sharing, and showing exactly why blogging works as a knowledge refinement/thought genesis tool.

As you suggest, I would expect PCP detailing operates differently in Forrest, IL than in the more densely populated areas I’m suspecting you visited(?). ROI is more difficult to justify, and competition less intense, so, barring eDetailing, visits lengthen. Note Dr. Brewer’s assertion that he could replace his detailers (as many as six) with one to two patient visits per day. Anway, he’s likely an outlier and your clarification is well received!

Best,
Matt

]]> By: Sarah http://punctuative.com/2007/01/11/pitching-doctors-education-and-drugs/#comment-606 Sarah Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:37:02 +0000 http://punctuative.com/2007/01/11/pitching-doctors-education-and-drugs/#comment-606 Hey Matt, Cool companies you mentioned that you guys have invested in. As an aside, I can’t resist the temptation to clarify that the average Primary Care Physician (PCP) rep actually gets no where near 3.5 minutes per visit. When I did ride-withs for a top-top-5 Pharmaceutical companies in my strategy consulting gig, the average was more like 8 seconds (!). Most rep visits to PCPs are literally only a sample delivery mechanism. Back in the good ole days, before the reps arms race, PCP reps were seen as value add as you mention. But not anymore. Specialists on the other hand are more about being on the bleeding edge of innovation. Whereas PCPs need to have a broad knowledgebase, Specialists need to know what the latest drugs are in their specialty. They need to know what the hottest and newest pills are, and so the reps really add that value-added service that you mention (these reps are also generally better trained and have a deeper life sciences background than PCP reps too). Those visits are longer -- maybe near 3 minutes on average -- but still pretty short. I agree that eDetailing is definitely seen as a way to help ease the PCP rep arms race... many Pharma companies have been pushing this for some time, even requiring that doctors watch an eDetail before they can order additional samples. But change is slow. eDetailing is in particular being pushed in rural areas --- areas where the reach & frequency model is too inefficient. just my two cents... st Hey Matt,

Cool companies you mentioned that you guys have invested in.

As an aside, I can’t resist the temptation to clarify that the average Primary Care Physician (PCP) rep actually gets no where near 3.5 minutes per visit. When I did ride-withs for a top-top-5 Pharmaceutical companies in my strategy consulting gig, the average was more like 8 seconds (!). Most rep visits to PCPs are literally only a sample delivery mechanism. Back in the good ole days, before the reps arms race, PCP reps were seen as value add as you mention. But not anymore.

Specialists on the other hand are more about being on the bleeding edge of innovation. Whereas PCPs need to have a broad knowledgebase, Specialists need to know what the latest drugs are in their specialty. They need to know what the hottest and newest pills are, and so the reps really add that value-added service that you mention (these reps are also generally better trained and have a deeper life sciences background than PCP reps too). Those visits are longer — maybe near 3 minutes on average — but still pretty short.

I agree that eDetailing is definitely seen as a way to help ease the PCP rep arms race… many Pharma companies have been pushing this for some time, even requiring that doctors watch an eDetail before they can order additional samples. But change is slow. eDetailing is in particular being pushed in rural areas — areas where the reach & frequency model is too inefficient.

just my two cents…

st

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