If drug reps bother you, talk to your doc about it

DEAR DR. GOTT: My letter is in regards to medical sales representatives at doctors’ offices. I personally attend or accompany family and friends to approximately 20 different doctors’ offices yearly. While in the waiting room, it is common to see four or five and (as many as 12) different sales reps come through the door in an hour.

They typically have a friendly, chatty three- to five-minute conversation with the suddenly available and upbeat office staff. They discuss such nonmedical subjects as hairstyles, vacation plans and upcoming sales receptions. This is in stark contrast to the patient welcome we often receive upon check-in, where minimal eye contact with the staff occurs, directive conversation appears blunt, and the staff appears too rushed to offer clarification regarding anything.

Often, the reps bring lunch, balloons and cookie trays. As I sit in the waiting room, I gauge the length of time until the reps reappear in the lobby, to revisit with the office staff about upcoming weekend plans and then depart. Most visits average five to 10 minutes. What concerns me most is the patient wait time, congestion of public waiting and parking areas and a possible misinterpretation of loyalties. I realize reps perform a vital function for the medical community and patient; however, what I consistently observe unsettles me.

Are there any medical-industry guidelines regarding such alliances, so as a patient I will receive a prescribed drug that best fits my need in lieu of a drug marketed by a sales rep who may have finished lunch at the clinic on that day?

DEAR READER: Each physician has his or her own policy regarding drug reps being seen during office hours. Some don’t accept samples, nor do they allot any time to speak about products carried. Others, as you are aware, stock the larder and often get fed. I know of one surgeon who used to pop his head out of his office, pick the reps he would see and have his secretary usher the others away for lack of time.

His logic? Looks.

The cute blonde or redhead in the corner was a definite yes. The older (and probably more knowledgeable) balding gentleman in the first chair was passed over. This probably wasn’t the doctor’s best means of selection, but it was his.

You have a legitimate complaint, and I can understand and appreciate your frustration, even though you or someone you know may benefit by receiving free drug samples. After all, for every salesman seen, you sit longer and longer before being treated.

Whatever you decide, it might be best to speak with your physician and express your concerns. While he or she is obviously aware of the number of interruptions in a day, it may come as a surprise that patients are annoyed by the process.

As I see it, you have a couple of options. First, you might determine whether your doctor sees reps all day or only in the afternoon, for example. You can then schedule your appointments at opposite times and avoid the issue. Or you can change to another physician who has a policy not to see drug reps at all.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report, “Choosing a Physician.� Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a check or money order for $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Peter Gott practiced medicine in Lakeville for 40 years.