Sage advice for ethical interactions with Industry...

[drusso]

It seems like advice in this area for residents, fellows, and new grads is valuable. Perhaps some of the seasoned pain doctors can share their pearls. I'll start:

1) When Industry pays you, you're being paid to do a job.

2) Quid pro quo makes the world goes round. It's about relationships.

3) If it sounds like BS, it probably is.

4) You probably *ARE* the smartest person in the room, but don't think for a minute that you've earned the right to be heard and respected.

5) Don't take your eye off the bottom line.

6) The industry will never love you. You are replaceable.

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[Ducttape]

7) what you do now and support now while taking money for may come back to haunt you in the future.

 

[jsaul]

I was at a local restaurant in a major urban center a few weeks ago. at the table next to me were two guys probably in their late twenties early 30s. I was close enough where I overheard their conversation. One guy was basically talking to the other guy about how great his job was how much he got paid and tried to convince the other guy to sign up for this job.

It turns out the guy was a SCS device rep. and this was the gist of his conversation ---
Reps get paid a lot of money, A lot of money. He was bragging about his car his watch and his new townhome
He stated his respect level for pain docs was really low. he felt many of these docs were basically docs pushing to do stims just for ego purposes and to make them "feel like a surgeon", He kept going on and on about how he and the other reps laugh amongst themselves at their docs and their personalities and their egos .
He sleeps well at night knowing that his devices generally cause no harm
He states the docs keep putting more in becasue they can sleep well at night too knowing that they can just remove the device if need be
He knows that the devices are overutilzed but again they cause no harm
He knows that they are expensive but said so are pedicle screws
He said the company preps each rep in great detail about how to deal with docs in order to maximaze utilization and thus in turn make better bonuses for the reps. It apparently is a comprehensive program

In the end it is a great gig and superb money and bank the money now while you can because he knows it will come to an end due to overutilzation

Many times during their dinner I felt like butting in and telling them who I was due to the fact of his insults to the docs in general but wanted to hear as much as i could.

 

[drusso]

I was at a local restaurant in a major urban center a few weeks ago. at the table next to me were two guys probably in their late twenties early 30s. I was close enough where I overheard their conversation. One guy was basically talking to the other guy about how great his job was how much he got paid and tried to convince the other guy to sign up for this job.

It turns out the guy was a SCS device rep. and this was the gist of his conversation ---
Reps get paid a lot of money

Pain Fellows receive no formal education on how to interact and manage relationships with Industry. Many naively believe that reps and Industry have their interests at heart.

 

[geauxg8rs]

I was at a local restaurant in a major urban center a few weeks ago. at the table next to me were two guys probably in their late twenties early 30s. I was close enough where I overheard their conversation. One guy was basically talking to the other guy about how great his job was how much he got paid and tried to convince the other guy to sign up for this job.

It turns out the guy was a SCS device rep. and this was the gist of his conversation ---
Reps get paid a lot of money, A lot of money. He was bragging about his car his watch and his new townhome
He stated his respect level for pain docs was really low. he felt many of these docs were basically docs pushing to do stims just for ego purposes and to make them "feel like a surgeon", He kept going on and on about how he and the other reps laugh amongst themselves at their docs and their personalities and their egos .
He sleeps well at night knowing that his devices generally cause no harm
He states the docs keep putting more in becasue they can sleep well at night too knowing that they can just remove the device if need be
He knows that the devices are overutilzed but again they cause no harm
He knows that they are expensive but said so are pedicle screws
He said the company preps each rep in great detail about how to deal with docs in order to maximaze utilization and thus in turn make better bonuses for the reps. It apparently is a comprehensive program

In the end it is a great gig and superb money and bank the money now while you can because he knows it will come to an end due to overutilzation

Many times during their dinner I felt like butting in and telling them who I was due to the fact of his insults to the docs in general but wanted to hear as much as i could.

I so wish you would have asked him to bring you breakfast so you can discuss more in detail

 

[geauxg8rs]

7) what you do now and support now while taking money for may come back to haunt you in the future.

8. These people are not your friends no matter what.

9. (Should be number one) Do whatever you think is best for the patient. That makes
For the best sleep at night. You took the oath, these people didn’t.

I heard of a local pain doctor “apologize” to a stim rep for using a competitor lead. Are you friggin kidding me???

 

[drusso]

I heard of a local pain doctor “apologize” to a stim rep for using a competitor lead. Are you friggin kidding me???

I've seen this too and this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Can you imagine apologizing to any other rep--sutures, needles, cement, etc?