By: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA
From time to time I get the chance to shadow physician relations reps as they visit with their doctors. Sometimes, they’re staged visits; the reps pick only their favorites who speak highly of them and there’s little opportunity to really observe. However, the visits I most enjoy are those arranged with a “good splitter.” The visit is planned, the stage is set and then the master performs his/her magic. In these situations I’m able to observe the deft staging of the conversation followed by a great question or two. Often the physician will push back, but even then I see that doctor engaging in dialogue. It’s fascinating to watch the back and forth, a question then solution, and with each round I can feel the credibility growing. At just the right moment, the rep suggests the next steps and the doctor agrees as though he was thinking exactly the same. Like a good caddy on the links, a good rep knows how to read the greens, how to avoid the traps; he knows when to offer advice (and when to stay quiet). There are no green jackets, but a masterful rep, one who really knows his game, is fascinating to watch.