Yesterday’s MR is today’s Medical Outcome Facilitator (MOF)
A friend had just received an injection and the doctor asked him to lie down for a while. As there were no other patients, the doctor called in the medical representative who had been waiting.
My friend recollected: “They were obviously very comfortable with each other and had a nice chat until the MR opened his visual aid and started his presentation. The MR’s tone changed to a well-rehearsed monotone, punctuated with ‘Dear Doctor’ every now and then. Soon, the doctor’s eyes took on a glazed look and he started yawning. Even his mechanical nodding slowed and then stopped. The MR’s job done, they were back to being friends and resumed their cosy chat.”
That happened many years ago. It is unlikely that the same scene is playing out in any clinic today. Because the MR is no longer the primary educator of the doctor as was once believed. And because the doctor, with just a touch and a few swipes, can easily access information that is current and more credible than whatever the representative armed with the visual aid can deliver.
More partner than representative
Imagine a network with the doctor at one end and the patient at the other. The objective of every link in this network (specialists, chemists, pathologists, etc.) is to make it possible, easier and more efficient for the doctor to deliver effective healthcare to the patient. And as the modern Medical Outcome Facilitator (MOF), the erstwhile Medical Representative (MR) has a key role to play in this B2B network.
His (or her) knowledge is no longer limited to the brand and the visual aid. He is abreast of the doctor’s domain both in terms of the maladies and the remedies. He knows the current challenges of the doctor and has proactive suggestions to make the doctor’s task easier today and tomorrow.
His keen interest, awareness and actions have convinced the doctor that the MOF is a partner he can count on.
Make every rare visit a win
Leaders of pharma companies can do a lot to make the MOF a better entrepreneur, for that’s precisely what he needs to be today. Make optimum use of technology to brief the doctor about pertinent medical news. Set up alerts to help the doctor and the MOF learn about shifts that necessitate tweaks in treatment strategy.
With the clinic packed with Google-educated patients and the need to sift through cascading information to pick up the latest in disease and therapy, the doctor would rather devote time to a patient than a pharma employee. It is up to the MOF to make the most of the scarce, precious face-to-face time he gets. He must rise above routine and rote.
Treat every personal meeting as an opportunity to convince the doctor that you are a trustworthy partner in the healthcare business. Make every handshake with the doctor an affirmation of the win-win nature of that partnership.
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