Re: Why in the world would a physician let a sales rep touch his patients?

Re: Why in the world would a physician let a sales rep touch his patients?

Sam Hamontree

2/23/2006

I think Joe Sansome's posting addresses the issue better than anything I
have read and lays out a quite direct and simple step-by-step of what an
O&P facility and O&P practitioners can and should do to maintain their
O&P business and referrals. While it is simple, many seem to find it
difficult (or beneath them in some way) to get out there and talk to
their referral sources.

Sam Hamontree, CP
OrPro, Inc.
Irvine, CA 92614


-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
Behalf Of Joe Sansone
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 2:02 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Why in the world would a physician let a sales rep
touch his patients?

Let's face it. There must be some reason why physicians choose to use
unlicensed sales representatives instead of O&P professionals. The
reasons are as follows:

1. The physician is receiving some sort of illegal remuneration
from your competitor. (reps paying for stock and bills)
2. These sales representatives establish themselves as experts on a
specific type of bracing and the latest technology.
3. These reps go to any extreme to provide service to their
physicians. They are willing to fit braces in patient's homes, the high
school football field, over the weekend, etc. (easy for them to do when
they have no office or overhead expenses).
4. Finally, and most importantly, sales reps make sales calls.
They stay in front of the physician and ask for the business.

In today's competitive environment with competitive bidding looming and
manufacturers and physical therapists encroaching upon our territory, it
is the little things that make a big difference. As O&P practitioners,
we cannot simply open up our doors and assume the business will come.
We must actively compete with these aggressive tactics of others.
Because let's face it, in the end, these referral sources are not
stupid; they realize the benefits of using a licensed O&P professional
as opposed to a sales rep. However, the sales reps are simply offering
something that we are not.

There are two ways to combat this onslaught:

1. Quit buying from these manufacturers that plot to steal your
business behind your back (or now days right in front of you). You are
going to kick yourself in 5 years when they have market share in the O&P
market, and you helped them get there.
2. Consider hiring someone to market your practice or call on
physicians yourself. People do business with people they like. Make
your physicians like you.

While licensure will help to a small degree, if you bury your head in
the sand and await others to solve your problems you will be in for a
long wait.


Joe Sansone
C.E.O.
TMC Orthopedic
(713) 669-1800
www.tmcortho.com