Sales Reps May Be Wearing Out Their Welcome In The Operating Room (NPR)
In the operating room, surgical masks and matching scrubs can make it hard to tell who's who — at least for outsiders.
Patients getting wheeled in might not realize that salespeople working on commission are frequently present and sometimes even advise the clinical team during surgery.
Who are these salespeople, and why are they there?
The answer to the first question is pretty easy. These sales reps typically work for medical device companies, such as Stryker, Medtronic or DePuy Synthes. Many surgeries, especially orthopedic trauma and cardiac procedures, require insertion of artificial joints or other hardware manufactured by these companies.
But as to why they're present in the operating room, the answer depends on whom you ask.
Critics of the practice contend that device reps attend surgeries to strengthen their relationships with particular surgeons, and thereby persuade them to choose one brand of artificial hip joint, or stent or pacemaker over a competitor's.
The device reps contend they observe surgeries because they are experts on particular devices and their accompanying toolkits, which often include...
