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Some of the samples are worthwhile. Many of them we don't use, so we don't accept them. Taking up a lot of time does add to the cost of health care. As in every business, time is money. In addition, the "snake oil salesman" ideation comes from them only being educated in a few drugs, not being pharmacists or any other type of health care professional.
Happy now?
I'm just trying to understand your comments.
When I think snake oil, I think of little bottles of colored water that doesn't do anything. That's not what these reps are selling. So what I am getting here is you think a snake oil salesman is someone who is not a pharmacist. Does it really make a difference if the rep selling a vaccine to a pediatrician is not fully versed in the side affects of Cialis?
Doesn't the doctor have the option to not see the reps? I would think that if the doc has questions or other reasons to talk to a rep, that would actually make the doc more informed and that would be a cost of doing business. All professions need to keep informed. And as you've said, they supply freebies for trials and those who can't afford to buy them, maybe it's really a wash when it comes to the added cost of healthcare.
I'm only going by what I've seen and when I'm in a waiting room, the office staff seem genuinely happy to see the reps. Maybe they have all the good reps.
When I think snake oil, I think of little bottles of colored water that doesn't do anything. That's not what these reps are selling. So what I am getting here is you think a snake oil salesman is someone who is not a pharmacist. Does it really make a difference if the rep selling a vaccine to a pediatrician is not fully versed in the side affects of Cialis?
Doesn't the doctor have the option to not see the reps? I would think that if the doc has questions or other reasons to talk to a rep, that would actually make the doc more informed and that would be a cost of doing business. All professions need to keep informed. And as you've said, they supply freebies for trials and those who can't afford to buy them, maybe it's really a wash when it comes to the added cost of healthcare.
I'm only going by what I've seen and when I'm in a waiting room, the office staff seem genuinely happy to see the reps. Maybe they have all the good reps.
1. In the example you gave, the answer is "no". However, sometimes they don't know much about the vaccine they're selling either. If you ask a technical question, they can't answer you. They have a set of "talking points" and if you ask something outside those parameters, they're lost. My brother used to work for an HR firm that hired drug sales reps. Mind you, my bro has a degree in history, and absolutely no interest in science. He told me the drug reps get trained in 2-3 drugs, and learn all those talking points I mentioned, and that's it. They don't know anything about any other drugs. I remember one situation where a drug rep for vaccine came and talked to a group of us nurses when I worked in an immunization program. This guy was a real flim-flam artist, had many nurses convinced that not only was his product superior, but that the competitors vaccine was actually harmful. I finally had to remind this group that the guy's job was to sell his product, and that the FDA licenses all vaccines and they go through rigourous trials before being released. I also had to remind them of the CDC's policies, which did not match up with this guy's. It was then that I asked my bro, do these people need a college degree? A: Yes. Does it need to be in science? A: No. Is this the equivalent of being a mondern-day snake oil salesman?
#2. Not really. An MD has to sign for the samples, and if they don't want to talk to the reps, they sometimes palm it off to us nurses. As above, they are not really providing a lot of useful information. Docs have to get continuing ed credits, that is a better way for them to keep up.
#3. They just have good PR skills. Besides, the front desk can palm them off on us or the docs.
What is healthcare?
It is a service.
Some services offer many service levels for prices everyone can afford.
The more competitive and open the market is the cheaper prices get and greater service.
Cell phones and service everyone has one and for the most part I think people are pretty happy with them. Very limited regulations, lots of plans to choose from that fit your needs and you can adjust them at anytime.
Techonolgy usually lowers the cost of medical expenses because treatment and diagnosing problems require less work and time. Instead they have increased the prices via govenrment regulations and other insurance practices. Also since drug companies and other businesses lobby washington to make these changes in laws this causes this cycle. If the government didnt have the power to interfer those issues go away.
Government has to do nothing, I want all restrictions removed from healthcare from the government. I want people to have insurance plans, doctor plans (direct with doctors) drug plans (direct with drug companies) open market drugs from any country you choose at any price. If pay out of pocket for a normal doctors visit today its 100 dollars cheaper then via a insurance card. Why? So something tells me if I work with my doctor I get a better deal. That is called freedom. This is the way is was done before insurance, and also charities ran hositipals just as many still do and are some of the best. Lets not pretend like we have terrible medical care here, we have some of the best and great doctors in the world. Philadelphia Childrens Hosipital or CHOP The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - About Children's Hospital
This is an example of American service and knowledge.
To be the best and actually care about something and the people and the children.
I wonder how many solutions via government who have no idea what goes on in a hosipital, how children die and diseases take many of them via government regulations. Do you think your congress or president knows anything about the medical industry.
Freedom of the patient, and freedom of choices moves the country and medical world to place where new inventions and better services will be created.
I trust freedom before I trust my government and most of all I think if you look at what government does wrong I have enough reason to distrust anything they do.
What is your reason to trust government are they doing any better on anything other then what the private section gives us. Also keep in mind because the govenrment is already involved in so much of the private sector I find that is the reason we have so many issues. With less government you find happy people. Debt, war, taxes, regulations, social injustices, and limited individual choices are what the government brings us. That is fact not fiction and not republican or democrat. Its just the truth of which to many of you refuse hear.
1. In the example you gave, the answer is "no". However, sometimes they don't know much about the vaccine they're selling either. If you ask a technical question, they can't answer you. They have a set of "talking points" and if you ask something outside those parameters, they're lost. My brother used to work for an HR firm that hired drug sales reps. Mind you, my bro has a degree in history, and absolutely no interest in science. He told me the drug reps get trained in 2-3 drugs, and learn all those talking points I mentioned, and that's it. They don't know anything about any other drugs. I remember one situation where a drug rep for vaccine came and talked to a group of us nurses when I worked in an immunization program. This guy was a real flim-flam artist, had many nurses convinced that not only was his product superior, but that the competitors vaccine was actually harmful. I finally had to remind this group that the guy's job was to sell his product, and that the FDA licenses all vaccines and they go through rigourous trials before being released. I also had to remind them of the CDC's policies, which did not match up with this guy's. It was then that I asked my bro, do these people need a college degree? A: Yes. Does it need to be in science? A: No. Is this the equivalent of being a mondern-day snake oil salesman?
#2. Not really. An MD has to sign for the samples, and if they don't want to talk to the reps, they sometimes palm it off to us nurses. As above, they are not really providing a lot of useful information. Docs have to get continuing ed credits, that is a better way for them to keep up.
#3. They just have good PR skills. Besides, the front desk can palm them off on us or the docs.
I was under the impression that these reps spend weeks in training for a drug they sell. And anytime there is a change (even promoted by the FDA) they have to get retrained in those changes as well. Aren't they are trained to be able to answer those technical questions? How much training do you think they get? Don't they get tested? It sounds like you might have had a bad rep. There are bad apples in every profession, just like I would not call all nurses killers when I hear of one that purposefully killed their patients.
Or maybe you are just the type of person that just doesn't like talking to salespeople. I rather like it myself, they usually have a lot of info that I find helpful.
I was under the impression that these reps spend weeks in training for a drug they sell. And anytime there is a change (even promoted by the FDA) they have to get retrained in those changes as well. Aren't they are trained to be able to answer those technical questions? How much training do you think they get? Don't they get tested? It sounds like you might have had a bad rep. There are bad apples in every profession, just like I would not call all nurses killers when I hear of one that purposefully killed their patients.
Or maybe you are just the type of person that just doesn't like talking to salespeople. I rather like it myself, they usually have a lot of info that I find helpful.
Weeks? Maybe. That sure makes them expert, doesn't it? A pharmacist has a doctorate that takes about 3 years post college to complete, plus a license that is earned by passing an exam. An MD has 4 years of medical school post college, and at least three years of residency. Along comes the drug rep with a BA/BS, maybe in English, and a few weeks training. Gimmee a break!
Weeks? Maybe. That sure makes them expert, doesn't it? A pharmacist has a doctorate that takes about 3 years post college to complete, plus a license that is earned by passing an exam. An MD has 4 years of medical school post college, and at least three years of residency. Along comes the drug rep with a BA/BS, maybe in English, and a few weeks training. Gimmee a break!
Well I guess they could hire all pharmacists to talk to you at your level but that would just raise the cost of healthcare even more wouldn't it.
It seems to me that a Universal health care will turn out to be just about as reliable as the Public school system. PC and far from efficient. Why because anything Govt run is more about justifying their own existence than actually doing what it was designed or supposed to do.
It seems to me that a Universal health care will turn out to be just about as reliable as the Public school system. PC and far from efficient. Why because anything Govt run is more about justifying their own existence than actually doing what it was designed or supposed to do.
People never notice or give credit when a Govt does a good job of running things.....like the military, highways/roads
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