With healthcare consolidation in the news again (and really, when is it not?), we’re reminded that rep access to U.S. physicians can only get tougher, as ever-bigger provider organizations impose ever-tighter restrictions on rep visits.<\/p>\n
According to DRG Digital\u2019s Manhattan Research survey data, physicians now average 6.4 rep visits per month, at an average 11 minutes per visit (Source: ePharma Physician\u00ae 2017<\/em><\/a>). As such, physician facetime is a rare and precious commodity for pharmas, and sales organizations should be looking to wring more value out of each one of those minutes.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, sales reps often fall short. For example, physicians say that half the time, reps show them information they have already seen in previous visits or found through their own research. We interviewed 20 physicians about their experiences with reps for a new report, Optimizing the Rep-Physician Relationship<\/a>, now available to Manhattan Research subscribers. (contact us<\/a>\u00a0to inquire about access.)<\/p>\n Here are a few take-aways:<\/p>\n \u201cRemote detailing could become more important as in-person rep access gets scarcer,\u201d said Cullen Kain, a DRG Digital Research Associate and lead author of the report. \u201cFor now, though, doctors told us they are using it to get answers pertaining to a specific patient, and they don\u2019t need to hear back right away. That means expensive on-call reps probably aren\u2019t necessary for most brands \u2013 text or email will do just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n