Three industry executives discussed the increasing difficult landscape for sales representatives trying to reach physicians, according to Medical Marketing & Media.
1. Pratap Khedkar, managing principal of ZS Associates, commented his company's sale representatives have experienced challenges in accessing physicians. Based on the ZS Associates spring 2015 AccessMonitor report, less than half of physicians will see representatives without payment.
2. Wayne Obetz, vice president of investment analytics and decision sciences of CMI/Compas, reported improved overall representative access, except in endocrinologist, nephrologists, psychologist and urologist specialties. Based on the CMI/Compas Media Vitals study, the number of physicians demanding representative appointments has increased. Although the access has improved, the rates are still lower than seen in 2013.
3. Michael Byrnes, executive vice president of sales at Rx EDGE Pharmacy Networks, commented on the increasing importance of the physician-pharmacist relationship. Physicians want to spend their time interacting with patients, not meeting with sales representatives. Many pharmacists are involving themselves more directly in patient care, working alongside the physicians.