What goes through the mind of a medical device sales rep once they arrive at a hospital?
- Sign into the hospital (i.e. materials management, security, purchasing, (OR) front desk etc….)? Are my credentials up to date? (REPtrax, Vendor Mate, VendorClear etc…)
- Notify the charge nurse, team leader, or circulator that I will be attending the following cases?
- Have a conversation with surgeon and staff before case to discuss product usage and placement.Takeaway: the case is about the patient not my device so make sure I am aligned with surgeon and staff goals, expectations etc…
- Stay focused during the case. Listen to the dialogue and be ready to answer question when asked.
- Be ready to speak up if I see the surgeon or staff making a mistake? Takeaway: put my big boy pants on say something ASAP. Sales Rep = Patient Advocate.
- Where is my product? Is it already in the room? If not, when, where etc… Review with staff again why it’s being used and how it is different than the competition.
- Thank surgeon and staff for allowing you to join them for the case. Seek feedback about your device.
- Introduce product to new surgeon or staff member. Build credibility and rapport. Use clinical data and/or marketing collateral.
- In between cases, call surgical schedulers to check on cases at other hospitals to build weekly and monthly schedule.
- Is my product on surgeon’s preference card? If not, when is the time to ask? How will I ask?
- Set up (OR) in-service (Scrub techs, nurses)
- Call on residency/fellowship programs before leaving the account.
- Drop by surgeon offices attached/near hospital to cold call. Leave literature, set up lunches etc…
- Go to bed. Wake up and do it again.
Check out Medical Device Sales 101, 102 and 103.
Devin Hughes is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at CONNECT, an independent non-profit organization servicing the San Diego region that links high technology and life sciences entrepreneurs with the resources that they need for success: Technology, money, markets, management, partners and support services. Springboard, CONNECT’s flagship program, is a business creation and development program. Innovators at all stages receive hands-on mentoring by successful business leaders in the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Program. He mentors for start-up pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics and medical device companies.
