Advanced Rheumatology stays at the forefront by streamlining rep visits

Advanced Rheumatology in Lansing, Michigan relied on medical science liaisons for important updates about new medications, indications, dosing instructions, and devices, says Jay Salliotte, MBA, Manager Director.

“Compared to 10 years ago, there is probably double the number of treatment options,” he says. “It is hard to stay on top of the changes.”

Reps added value because they provided succinct education that maximized providers’ time. They also educated staff about patient assistance programs and notified them when payers added medications to preferred tiers. Additionally, different reps could provide information on clinical trials, equip the practice with patient education materials, and answer any question from physicians.

The challenge? Scheduling rep visits was an entirely manual process. It was also difficult to track how often individual reps met with providers. “Reps who befriended staff tended to dominate the schedule, while others with critical updates did not always have timely access,” says Salliotte.

When Salliotte heard about RxVantage at a National Organization of Rheumatology Managers conference, he knew it would reduce the administrative burden of managing reps and help impose a much-needed structure for these educational sessions. RxVantage is a free tool that allows reps to self-schedule appointments online based on the practice’s preferred availability. At Advanced Rheumatology, reps can self-schedule one 45-minute lunch meeting (for longer educational sessions) and one 15-minute coffee meeting (for quick updates) up to six times annually. All reps have equal access to the practice and communicate with staff directly through RxVantage Messaging.

The downside of not seeing reps is that you do not necessarily know about all of the latest treatments or insurance changes. You miss out on a lot of opportunities.