MedSuds Monthly Report

5.0 Why Won’t My Doctors Use My Product?

By MedSudser Michael Kessler, MD. Michael Kessler, MD is President and CEO of the Medical Communications Center. Dr. Kessler works with pharmaceutical, medical product, device and service industries to help them increase sales to Doctors. Feel free to send your comments to Dr. Kessler at MKessler@RepSuccess.net or call 404-257-1251.

Have you ever said this to yourself? “I am out there every day, driving from place to place, presenting my products and working hard. I don’t understand what’s going on. What’s wrong with these doctors? What's their problem? Why won't they use my product?”

You think to yourself: “I’m enthusiastic, work hard and put in a full day’s work. I believe my product is the best. I know all about my product’s features and benefits and the disease state. I have great sales and visual aids. So what's the problem?"

In our recent survey of 108 representatives from 3 large and 3 midsize medical device/product companies, representatives said they used sales aids approximately 80% of the time. They also report that over 50% of doctors show a negative reaction when the sales aid was used and were skeptical of the information presented. Why is this happening?

The problem from your customers’ point of view is that many representatives tend to do a data dump with their sales aids. They spew out all this stuff from their 4-8 page long sales aid and hope that something sticks. Then they close with “will you use it?" So, as representatives have documented, over half the doctors get this glazed-over look when they do this and in the end the doctor doesn’t want to try their product.

Could it be that representatives are missing something? Yes they are. They need a better understanding of the mindset of their customer, the Doctor. Key to this understanding is the fact that doctors are trained to solve problems. As a result, they are problem oriented, not product-oriented. They are in the problem solving business.

Representatives on the other hand are product oriented not problem oriented. The issue becomes that what marketing and sales may consider useful and important is not always what the doctor needs or wants. So, what many Doctors think when they hear a representative do a data-dump with their sales and visual aids is: "Why do I need another product? What problem is it going solve? I'm happy with what I'm using now!"

Let’s examine the Doctor’s mindset. Doctors have been trained to and must go through what we call the Physician Problem Solving ProcessÔ (PPSP). This process is a methodical and analytical process that doctors are taught in medical school and use daily the rest of their lives.

Doctors use this problem solving process to:

1. Diagnose, treat and manage patients

2. Evaluate the clinical literature

3. Evaluate new and existing products

The decision to use, convert to, or adopt a new product doesn't come until the end of this extensive, fact laden, and formal process. How fast doctors make get through the PPSP and make a decision to use your product will depend on the how quickly and efficiently they get the information they need.

Identifying a problem is the first step that doctors have been trained to do in the problem solving process. This is what doctors' key in on. Once you identify a problem, doctors will naturally want to know from you: "Do you have a solution to this problem?" Of course you do!

Specific problems demand specific information. How quickly doctors ‘move’ to try or use your product often depends on how accurately and quickly they get the information they need to go through the PPSP. Once representatives understand how doctors solve problems and how they make decisions, they will start to understand where the doctor is in the PPSP and what information they need to get them to make a decision. So, if you know what doctors are looking for and can give them what they want and need, you can accelerate the problem-solving process.

Key to accelerating the process is for representatives to communicate the clinical information from their sales and visual aids in an organized manner. Representatives will be more effective if they can “walk the walk and talk the talk' of their customers. All doctors communicate and educate one another using a standardized template called S.O.A.P.

S.O.A.Ping information makes it much easier and quicker for doctors to take in the information and arrive at a decision. Representatives can S.O.A.P. their sales and visual aids using what we call the S.O.A.P. Product PresentationÔ to sell their solutions to the problems identified.

Therefore, if you understand the Physician Problem Solving Process, know where the doctor is in the PPSP, and can give them the specific information needed using the S.O.A.P. template, you can shorten the time it takes a doctor to try your product.

But they don’t always get that information in a timely manner. Often, it is too late. Then you wonder why the doctor won't use your product.

6.0 Contract Employee---An Old Concept Whose Time Has Come

Many MedTech companies are finding the experience they need at an affordable price.
by MedSudser Bud Horwath, Horwath Resource Group, bud@horwathrg.com

To hire or to contract? That’s a question managers have debated over the years whenever the organization has had a need to accomplish work. Or at least it should be considered, especially in today’s environment. Money is tight for the smaller Medical Technology companies. Product life cycles are increasingly shorter, putting pressure on new product development schedules. For most MedTech companies there is no time to make mistakes. Corporations need experienced, dedicated workers that get results without breaking the budget.

So what’s the answer? When you need an employee, do you hire or contract? Although the answer isn’t black and white, there are more reasons today to consider a contract employee than ever before.

You Get What You Pay For:

A talented employee base is a key asset for any company. In fact, human resources are probably the most important asset for any successful company. Without people, nothing gets done and there is no company.

For most MedTech companies the cost of human resources, its employees, is by far its greatest operating expense. Cost is certainly one reason companies are reluctant to bring new employees on board. Salaries for experienced workers are high. And then there is the additional cost of benefits (vacations, sick time, retirement, health care, etc.).

Like with any asset, whether it be buildings, computers or employees, the company would be financially better off to get more for less. But how can that be done with employees without degrading morale and productivity? One way is to selectively use contract employees. Contract employees are typically specialists, i.e. engineering, business development, marketing, regulatory. They are experienced and often seasoned. A growing number have left large MedTech companies where they were able to learn specialized skills. To hire such a specialist would be very expensive. But to contract with a specialist for a specific task, role, or project most times results in reduced cost and shortened time schedules. There is no or little training, so start up time is short. Contributions to results start almost immediately. And unlike a hired employee, where the job often expands to fill the time available, with the contract employee you pay for what you get—specific results.

MedTech is a very specialized industry. No other industry implants devices into the human body. Biocompatibility, hermetic sealing, and sterilization are among the many unique design criteria for MedTech products. Regulatory oversight in all parts of the world is a major factor for MedTech. Approvals are required to initiate clinical evaluation and to commercially market a new MedTech product; regulations are in place that impact the product development and manufacturing process; and there are rules on how you can and can’t label and market those products.

Some of the knowledge required to design, develop, manufacture and market a MedTech product can be learned in college. However, most of the state-of-the-art practice and processes used in the MedTech industry can only be learned through experience. That’s why an experienced contractor can be so valuable.

Another often-overlooked factor that reinforces the use of contractors is mentoring. The contract specialist can have a positive influence on the employee base by mentoring and teaching the less experienced employee. By sharing the knowledge gained through years of experience in MedTech, contract employees can increase the capabilities of the organization much faster than the normal trial and error learning curve.

So What About Dedication?

Everyone assumes hired employees are more dedicated to the job and to the company. But are they? Granted doing a good job and getting results may lead to a good performance review and that next pay raise in 12-18 months. More often than not, however, the performance review is too superficial or too biased to be of value. And that pay raise? According to the budget, the manager must average 2-3% in annual salary increases. So very good performers get maybe 4%, average 2% and the worst 0-1% but get to keep their jobs. Big incentive.

Are hired employees more loyal? These days loyalty is a distant memory. There have been too many corporate layoffs, down-sizings, right-sizings, productivity improvements, etc. Employees have learned to look out for themselves. Do what you’re told, don’t make waves, but keep an eye open for that advancement opportunity in the other division or at a different company. Employees are typically free to leave their job with two weeks notice.

Contract employees, however, are constantly selling themselves. They must get good results to keep their contract or win an extension. And when the assignment is complete, they need a good reference for the next prospect. Satisfied clients are of utmost importance to the contract employee. Without satisfied clients, the chances of getting new clients are minimal.

Contracts are typically written for certain periods of time (3 months, 6 months, or 12 months) or for a particular task. The employer can be confident that the contract employee is committed to him for that period of time.

But does it work?

Here are a few examples that illustrate how the use of contract employees has helped MedTech companies get results quickly and co