Medical Sales: Documentation May Save Your Butt!

Medicine is a discipline that demands precision (I know you work with some accounts who may ignore this, but stay with me).

As a medical rep, you're expected to get it right when a customer makes a request. This means paying attention because the patient is usually on the other end of this equation.

There may be times when even though you got it right, a customer or other entity (such as an attorney), may suggest you screwed up (even though you didn't).

How can you protect yourself from those rare customers who habitually redirect blame by pointing their finger toward a sales rep?

Here's the answer: Document. Document everything you do that might come back to bite you (even when it seems unlikely).

If you don't think this scenario can happen to you, let me give you an example from my days as a rep.

The Customer/Account That Blames You

A well-known orthopedic surgeon moved to my territory. I received a phone call from his former rep, who warned me that the surgeon was famous for stealing instruments from the rep's trays and placing them in "his trays." He also warned me that the doctor never accepted blame for any faux pas on his part and would blame the rep whenever possible.

I dismissed the warning as little more than a doctor and sales rep who didn't get along. Unfortunately, almost everything my colleague warned me about came to fruition.

The only business I inherited with this surgeon was that he used my company's unicompartmental knee. He scheduled them as "Unicompartmental Knee Replacement, possible Total Knee." Initially, I attended all of his cases, but about 80% of the time, he implanted a competitor's total knee. Eventually, he told me he didn't need me for his cases (which pleased me greatly because I grew tired of listening to this guy's constant berating of others. He told me my only job was ensuring the instruments and implants were at the hospital.

The company shipped the implants as a side and compartment-specific kit, i.e., left lateral/right medial or right lateral/left medial. They only sent the side/compartment that was ordered.

The SOP at the time was that the doctor's office would call and verbally schedule the case. Knowing the importance of ordering the correct side and avoiding miscommunications, I implemented my own policy that all uni knee orders had to be faxed to me (I know I'm dating myself with the fax reference, but again, stay with me). I also told the surgeon's staff, "What you order is exactly what you will receive."

One day, I got a call from my boss telling me this surgeon called the company president demanding to fire me because I sent the wrong implants for one of his unicompartmental knees. The surgeon was adamant that the fault was mine and that his office ordered the correct side. I was told this was a serious issue because this surgeon wielded some influence at the company.

I never oozed a drop of sweat over this. Why? I had the fax from the surgeon's office. I verified that what I ordered and what the company shipped were exactly what was specified in the fax.

I was acquitted of the charge!

However, the surgeon's office called and said the doctor wanted to meet with me immediately. I was expecting an apology, but that's not what I received. When I walked into the office, his first words were, "We need to be more careful with my cases."

The wiseass in me was tempted to say, "Oh, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I sent you exactly what your office requested. My mistake." I didn't. Instead, I said, "How can I help?"

He said, "I just need you to make sure that you send the correct side."

I asked, "By the correct side, do you mean the side your office ordered (handing him a copy of the fax they sent me)? The only thing more I can do is meet with you personally before each case and verify the correct side with you." He angrily retorted, "That won't be necessary. I can communicate the correct side to my staff, who will fax it to you."

I hoped this experience was sufficient for the surgeon and his staff to check and double-check each uni knee order moving forward. However, it was not to be.

A few months later, the same thing happened. The irate surgeon called me directly, blaming me. I told him bluntly, "I sent what your office ordered. Do you want me to bring you a copy of the fax? Tell me what I can do to help, and I'll do it."

He hung up on me.

As you may have guessed, he and I never had much of a relationship, and I didn't care because it wasn't possible or worth it. He continued to order uni knees from me until he moved somewhere else to torment another sales rep who merely did what the doctor asked.

Having written documentation saved my butt. Twice!

Ensure you save and maintain access to documentation should you ever need it. Don't take it for granted that it's in the system or depend on someone else to know where it is.

This doesn't apply just to ordering products. I suggest you keep a written summary of any critical conversations you have with customers regarding situations where mistakes might lead to finger-pointing.

Get in the habit of documenting as much as possible with a note, a photo, or, when necessary, a witness. You work in healthcare. When mistakes are made, people get blamed, and lawyers may get involved. Always do your best for the customer and the patient, but remember to protect yourself. Document what you can!

Grab my FREE medical sales training course on how to create distinction with customers and accounts that gets you noticed and gets you sales. Go to https://medicalsalescourses.com