Individual Case Analysis

Question: Describe about the pharmaceutical sales representatives act. Answer: Introduction: The pharmaceutical sales representatives act as a bridge between the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies. They approach the physicians and doctors with the latest drugs and medicines of a particular pharmaceutical company. They provide requisite information regarding its usage and adverse effects of the drugs to the physicians (Mintzes et al., 2013). The prescription of drugs along with its obligatory information should be regulated by the Government owing to its impact on the health of the patient. For instance, the United States directly regulates the sponsorship of drugs (Mintzes et al., 2013). Shortcoming of the leader: The pharmaceutical industry generally directs its promotional policies at the physicians and medical students who will spread and augment the usage of a specific drug. They send sales representatives to the physicians and showcase their latest drugs (detailing) and provides requisite information regarding its benefits and adverse effects (Schulz et al., 2014). Sometimes, they present expensive gifts as a token for using and prescribing drugs of a particular Company (Abbas et al., 2014). Such practices have created a powerful impact on the mindset of the physicians. In the case study, the pharmaceutical sales representatives have targeted the nurses for promoting their new drug Healthy Healing. They have introduced the point system where the nurses will be given points every time they will recommend the drug. In the hope of getting lavish rewards in exchange of those points, they have recommended this drug to the physicians whereas similar less costly drugs are available (as per the case study). When they were told about this problem, they mention that the sales representatives were allowed inside the hospital premises and therefore the fault lies with the hospital administration. This incident throws light upon the shortcomings of the hospital administrator in failing to control the point system started by the pharmaceutical company. The usage of any drug is not dependent on the awards that the Company will pay; rather the drug should be used in terms of its benefits. The administrator needs to ensure that the drug is screened by the Government authority on drug usage like the Food and Drug Administration in United States ("U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page", 2016). Description of the issue: The pharmaceutical industry occupies a major portion of the economy of the United States. In the year 2012, the pharmaceutical industry contributed 15 percent of the total GNP of the nation (Manchanda Honka, 2013). Hence the force of this industry can be felt in the entire financial system of US. The pharmaceutical industries are generally represented by the sales representatives who go for detailing to the physicians and medical students directly. Their marketing strategies involve convening meetings and events of the physicians and advertising their products in the popular medical journals. They also provide sample drugs to the physicians to promote their usage among the patients by prescribing those drugs (Manchanda Honka, 2013). In the case study given, the pharmaceutical Company has chosen the method of rewarding the nurses through the point method for recommending its drug Hearty Healing. The more the nurses recommend, the more points they will get. On the basis of the points collected, the nurses will get rewards ranging from purchasing of latest goods to a trip to Paris (as per the case study). When their superior asked for the reason behind their recommendation of this specific product, they mention the benefits that are mentioned in the brochure provided by the sales representatives. The physicians have claimed that Healthy Healing can be replaced by less expensive but equally efficient drugs. Therefore a conflict in interests has come to the forefront regarding the usage of this drug (as per the case study). System improvement: The solution to the given problem in the case study can be addressed with the help of systems thinking. Systems thinking can be referred to the process through which the solution of a problem lies in balancing between holistic and reductionist thinking (Haines, 2016). The solution needs to be reached at by thinking of its end result as per the systems thinking. The end result of the problem would be usage of drugs which are relevant as well as cost effective. The administrator must keep track of the pharmaceutical sales representatives and their dealings with the nurses and the physicians. In this way the situation at the New Haven Wound Treatment Center would improve and proper medicines would be prescribed for the patients (as per the case study). Conclusion: The relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the physicians is complex but necessary. The physicians need to exercise extreme caution before accepting any drug that is promoted by the Company. The physician or the nurse should use his or her discretion before prescribing a drug without taking it at its face value. In the case study, the health care administrator should make sure that the detailing done by the representatives is kept under strict observation. References: Abbas, A., Ali, S. I., Tanwir, S., Sabah, A., Rizvi, S. A., Adnan, S., ... Sheikh, F. M. (2014). Evaluation of Knowledge of Pharmacist and Non Pharmacist Medical Sales Representatives (MSRs) in Pharmaceutical Drug Promotion: A Comparative Study.British Biomedical Bulletin,2(1), 40-48. Haines, S. (2016).The systems thinking approach to strategic planning and management. CRC Press. Manchanda, P., Honka, E. (2013). The Effects and Role of Direct-to-Physician Marketing in the Pharmaceutical Industry: An Integrative Review.Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics,5(2), 8. Mintzes, B., Lexchin, J., Sutherland, J. M., Beaulieu, M. D., Wilkes, M. S., Durrieu, G., Reynolds, E. (2013). Pharmaceutical sales representatives and patient safety: a comparative prospective study of information quality in Canada, France and the United States.Journal of general internal medicine,28(10), 1368-1375. Schulz, S. A., Broekemier, G. M., Burkink, T. J. (2014). Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceutical Drugs: An Exploratory Comparison of Physicians and Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives.Health Marketing Quarterly,31(3), 279-291. U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. 2016. Fda.gov. Retrieved 20 September 2016, from https://www.fda.gov