Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.”

Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO:
• Ask about scheduling an educational lunch presentation.
• Ask for information about the formulary process; offer yourself as a resource for information.
• Ask about the schedule for the hospital P&T committee.
• Know your drug. Be prepared to clarify and support any information that is included in your product PI.

DON’T:
• Ask for a list of physicians who are on the P&T committee.
• Pressure the pharmacist to stock product without a prescription.
• Make a sales call without a clear reason for the call.

Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales presentations. And just like prescriber calls, pharmacy calls are powerful tools to improve patient care and drive your business.

If you make the effort to develop productive relationships, you will find that every pharmacist in your territory is an extra person on your sales team!