Do Sleep MD Specialists Get Promotional Visits from Manufact

As a physician, I have had an endless parade of pharmaceutical reps parade through my offices for decades, although it is far less prevalent and frequent nowadays than it formerly had been. They keep the sample closet full, provide updated promotional information about their products, and often provide full stock supplies of medication for patients without insurance coverage.

Question: Do sleep MDs get visited by reps from the manufacturers of CPAP machines and masks etc? I would imagine that this occurs given that the company products depend on a medical prescription.

I have always wondered; do the female reps wear really short skirts?

RobertS975 wrote:Question: Do sleep MDs get visited by reps from the manufacturers of CPAP machines and masks etc? I would imagine that this occurs given that the company products depend on a medical prescription.

I'm sure they do get visits prob not quite as many as the DME's and Sleep Labs as they are the ones who mostly determine which mask you will get and try to make sure only certain brands of cpaps are dispensed. So I'm sure the equip MFGs offer discounts for their equipment.

IF my doc is pushing a certain cpap or mask I prob won't go there again. I have refused to order from DME's who make it diff to get the cpap I want and have had DME's flat refuse to order a mask I want, so I order nothing from them. There is one that calls here once a month with a prerecorded message saying "It's time to order your supplies again".

The Sleep business if full of obstacles and BS.

I have always felt that many medical docs also prescribe certain meds like they own stock in the Co.

Most doctors do not specify a brand on their prescriptions. (Unless the patient asks for a specific brand/model) The indicate CPAP, APAP, BIPAP, ASV and specify a pressure.

LSAT wrote:Most doctors do not specify a brand on their prescriptions. (Unless the patient asks for a specific brand/model) The indicate CPAP, APAP, BIPAP, ASV and specify a pressure.

Mines specified the brand and model (Resmed S9 Autoset, back in 2012). He said he did that because he uses their software. He also uses cpap himself, so I think he was more aware of how we need to dial in the correct settings.

He later looked at data from my machine from 2 partial nights when my mom used it. She had an older machine without data, so this was the first time of getting data at her treated pressure since a sleep study. Her treated ahi was 3.4 with clusters of longer events. He looked at my printed reports from those two nights (one at her prescribed pressure of 10, and one with a range starting at 10), shook my hand, and prescribed a new machine with a pressure range for her. She has been much happier with her cpap since then.

I'm quite certain that physicians who own sleep clinics do because they use proprietary software to monitor their patients and more than likely get free or nearly free masks to use for titration.

We certainly would visit a Sleep Doctor's Office if they wanted to see our products. I have done in-services at Hospitals when the doctors invited us to come. We also send samples of our products and brochures to Doctors, DMEs and Clinics to show the patients. It is great to be able to speak face to face with the doctors that truly care about their patients therapy. I have made some good friends in the field.
We also exhibit at trade shows to educate the attendees about our solutions.

Karen

LSAT wrote:Most doctors do not specify a brand on their prescriptions. (Unless the patient asks for a specific brand/model) The indicate CPAP, APAP, BIPAP, ASV and specify a pressure.

My doc is in a respiratory group office, and they are somehow associated with the medical supply facility downstairs - I don't suspect they get kickbacks but it's convenient even if it's a little cozy. Anyway, the prescription forms from the doctor office list all the available units from the DME, and they just check one. Also cozy that it's the one the sleep center (also associated) recommended.

Drug reps used to bring breakfast to my doctors office.
At some point, it was deemed to be unethical, and it stopped.

chunkyfrog wrote:Drug reps used to bring breakfast to my doctors office.
At some point, it was deemed to be unethical, and it stopped.

Not deemed unethical, and breakfast or more commonly lunch is still quite commonplace in many medical offices. There is a sign-in sheet listing attendees, and there are price guidelines. There are also many medical practices and hospitals which prohibit this altogether just to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

The breakfadt, and sometimes lunch, was FREE, compliments of the drug pusher, oops, rep.

I suspect they mainly visit the DME offices since many doctors do not specify brand.
I did get a free replacement full face mask from my doctor when she suggested I try a smaller size. Perhaps both groups get visits.

Most of the CPAP companies have sales forces that visit doctors offices, but as mentioned the DME is the one that is pushing the doctor's office using their service over another local DME.

RobertS975 wrote:Do sleep MDs get visited by reps from the manufacturers of CPAP machines and masks etc?

They sure do.

I would imagine that this occurs given that the company products depend on a medical prescription.

"Depend" works two ways. The sleep docs depend on the machine sales rep for information on new products and questions about existing products.