Profession
Office managers often gatekeepers for drug reps
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 28, 2009
Office managers are just as likely as doctors to decide whether drug reps get in the door, according to a survey of nearly 225,000 physician practices released in September. The survey, conducted every six months by the physician database firm SK&A Information Services Inc., found that 48% of practices let office managers set their drug-rep policy, while 47% said a physician makes the call. The rest of the time, the decision is made at a group level, the survey said.
About three in four physician practices still accept visits from detailers, despite objections from drug industry critics that pharmaceutical sales reps are not a source of unbiased clinical information and the meals they provide can influence doctors' prescribing.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/09/28/prbf0928.htm.
