Hi ATFP. Welcome to AC. If you could give us your name it would be great.
_____________________
OK, you asked for my opinion. On this board we have talked about EMRs, computers, networking, medications, and many, many other things. We have almost come to blows on the server vs P2P issue. But, I don't think I have ever disagreed more on a thread than this one. Wow! And, everyone has a right to their opinion. I understand the choice of not seeing drug reps because of time, but to make them HAVE to do something to get your time seems like a double standard. The rep does their job. They come to your office. You can have any policy you wish. I guess if you have a disclaimer like the advertisements on the radio or TV does, it would be good as well. You know, the really fast one, where one would throw in the part where we are only talking to you because you are giving us lunch. They know it, I'm sure, but it's different if you say it.
In Maine, most of the meds are covered whether they are brand name or generic. Many times Mainecare will ONLY pay for the brand name. It is always the cheapest drug that Mainecare will cover. We have maybe 20 samples now. We used to have over a hundred. Now, we obtain a urine from a baby and have to give the entire 10 days of Cefzil. Before we could give them two doses prior to the culture. Now we have to write for 10 days of Clinda for our penicillin allergic patients while we wait for the strep culture instead of giving them one day of Omnicef.
We see all drug reps unless we don't like them. That's it. If I have time, I give then 10 minutes. If I don't, then I don't give them any. We don't do drug lunches because of time (I have to work during lunch), but if we really like a certain rep, we'll do lunch with them. I really prefer advertising one on one, more than a Claritin commercial on television.
I have never used a drug because of a rep. One rep would take me to lunch and every time I would tell him how Strattera sucks. And, I could tell the company how stupid 10, 18, 25, 40, 60 and 80 mg strengths are. Make 10s and 20s and call it good. He agreed. Now he is the rep for Synagis, and he doesn't have to do anything other than help us get the drug. I have at least 20 Mainecare patients on Intuniv, and the sample kits are extremely helpful. When it wasn't covered by Mainecare, the rep brought in medications for those who needed it. It's a brand name drug and will be for awhile. I would hate to have to buy albuterol and Xopenex 1.25 mg times three is the standard of care for an asthma exacerbation. We can't afford to stock that. More than anything, Mead Johnsons and Ross provide formula that a lot of families could not afford.
The only difference a drug rep makes as to what I write for is the one who gives me and my patients the better service. The Enfamil rep will drive 150 miles to give us three cans of Nutramigen for a baby while the Nestle's rep won't return our calls. Chalk it up to Enfamil.
I am offended by the comments on females. I have never seen a female drug rep dress any way but appropriate. Males and females piss me off as equally as the other. The story about the drug rep going to the physician's house has nothing to do with a drug rep coming to my office.
So, in short, I allow all drug reps. If they are courteous, then I spend time with them. By courteous I mean they realize when I am too busy to talk with them. The only thing I don't tolerate is the rep that says I won't take your time; I just need a quick signature and then tries to get a few sentences in.
I realize others will handle it in other ways. Now, if someone from Aetna came in telling me about deductibles for my patients, that would be different. Insurance companies are evil. Having said all this, I am probably the only one who called 911 over a drug rep. But, then what are you going to do when her drug is Focalin XR.