The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons sent out a survey this week around COVID 19 with questions pertaining to patient volume, patient sentiment, and practice patterns. One question asked about how the impact of COVID 19 will affect sales representatives and their ability to service operative case loads. They asked:

Which of the following do you think will apply to reps at your facility going forward?

  • Need antibody testing
  • Need to bring their own PPE
  • Not be allowed in the OR suite and instead remain outside
  • Not be allowed in the hospital
  • Remain as usual (i.e. pre Covid 19)

We are hearing varying levels of requirements based on regionality and case circumstances (simple vs complex). Some accounts are back to business as usual, but are requiring N95’s and proof of FIT testing for those masks. More stringent accounts are requiring COVID testing on a bi-weekly basis.

Understanding that additional traffic in the OR could present additional risk and that mandating COVID testing may provide some legal cover for the facility, what is to say if the rep tests negative today, they will not be positive tomorrow? Should all OR staff including physicians also be held to this standard? Is getting tested at this frequency level even feasible? Definitely something to think about and interesting that AAOS has this on their radar as well.

This question also brings to light the role a rep plays in the OR and if they are in fact needed for every case. There is no question, most hospitals rely heavily on reps to help coordinate surgical implants and to assist scrub tech’s to maximize efficiency. Ultimately, this will come down to those who feel that the rep’s value is worth increased exposure vs those who feel they/their facility can function without them.

Thankfully for the physician, most of this will be handled by the facilities and the reps who service those accounts with the safety of both the patient and staff in mind. One area that is controlled by the physicians is the office setting where sales reps visit to review cases or sell new products. Moving forward, how will you handle your interaction with reps? Are new protocols being established by you and your office managers to deal with sales representatives? Please take this survey and we will post the results next week.