How to tell a drug rep to shut up?

[DucatiNP]

How do you politely tell a drug rep to shut up?

What really gets me is when they tell me to check to DNS box! If the patient wants brand name they'll ask the damn PharmD!

Other than that my interactions with drug reps are good, they are knowlegable about their drug, they give me free stuff (expensive lunches, dinners, very nice pt education handouts).

But sometimes when eating I think, 'In the hour I'm sitting here taking about drugs, which feels like work, if I was working I would have made more than enough to pay for the same meal for me and my girlfriend.

Just a ranting NP.

[mrspopeye]

Our practice lets in only 3 reps in the morning and three in the afternoon. One physician in our practice starts off every interaction, albeit politely, with "OK, you have 2 minutes..." This usually works quite well, because they would appear awkward or rude if they did not adhere. I really wish they would consider more pharmacy vouchers, rather than samples. I like the ones that reduce their copay to that of a generic, otherwise, I will almost always use a generic first. We have a handful of patients in our practice that think they are entitled to weeks and months of samples on end, even if they have insurance. Some people even drop off a "grocery" list at the front window and wait for the nurses to bring out their bags. I think that is so inappropriate. Some of our older docs just don't want to be hassled, so they given in.

[JDCitizen]

Our practice lets in only 3 reps in the morning and three in the afternoon. One physician in our practice starts off every interaction, albeit politely, with "OK, you have 2 minutes..." This usually works quite well, because they would appear awkward or rude if they did not adhere. I really wish they would consider more pharmacy vouchers, rather than samples. I like the ones that reduce their copay to that of a generic, otherwise, I will almost always use a generic first. We have a handful of patients in our practice that think they are entitled to weeks and months of samples on end, even if they have insurance. Some people even drop off a "grocery" list at the front window and wait for the nurses to bring out their bags. I think that is so inappropriate. Some of our older docs just don't want to be hassled, so they given in.

Wow sounds exaclty like one of the offices I did clinicals in...

They had so many samples, vouchers that they hired a pharmacy tech.. The main MD was a PharmD... Every sample given out had to have an actual script.. Everything was signed in / signed out.... They had 4 offices and the tech was going to them all to keep straight.

Those particular offices used a sliding scale charge for patient fees that were based on income / insurance. Didn't take long for me to see that there is a large gray area that working people fall in when it comes to medical coverage. Even with all the assistance out there the wrong form filled out or left out or just a few dollars more earned in one month can mean the difference between eligibility or not (ability to afford/get medications or not)....