Natpara Rare Disease Expansion Offers

I came from another co. where in the beginning everyone expected pharma like calls per day. It became an extended office call and the time spent was 4x a typical pharma call (we did some other things to help them in acquiring product). Call capacity and expectations were raised with Mngrs, Directors and our VP and once confirmed (with best performers) it was reduced to reflect what was a more accurate/fair target (vs. the 9ish for Pharma peers). Maybe raising it with your Manager or on launch perf report out calls it would change??

Another point getting back to the investment example above: If you are reporting inaccurate measurements to appease investors (cooking the books for Management) and its found out, you are toast! If however, you work a full day and report out what you actually did (above or below expectations), that is the only way to have something changed from Sr. Management. Otherwise, you can start seeking out recruiters to find your next gig for temporary stop and continue process until retirement. I've been involved in re-orgs from past company (as leadership rotation) and its pretty clear that they are using similar models of calls/access/coverage/capacity to align resources to the goals. If one of those variables is off due to lack of accurate knowledge (access issues, call capacity, etc.) then its a no-win scenario. How about speaking up if your working your A$$ off and feeling like the current expectations are B#$ S*%. New to Shire and just sharing some great advice from a past mentor (actually VP in my past Co.) where I've seen this in action and actually shape a different expectation from Sr. Management.

 

Launching Cuvitru and only wish they would let up on the KPI expectations!

 

You can speak up and give feedback but it's not listened to. All that is repeated is that managers can't change anything...it's a mandate from above aka KK.
I also came from another company where there were no call avgs or metrics...it was get it done, just do your job...it's your business, run it. No hoops to jump through and it was liberating. I found myself more productive, more effective not rushing off to make my next call.

 

That is why Shire is not able to retain rare disease reps. The majority of the good ones have left. Rare disease is not about metrics. Shire management can't grasp that. They think if they don't have metrics in place that people won't be out working and that's not true. Shire management doesn't trust us to run our business accordingly. That's not a formula for success nor good for morale. The result is high turnover.

 

Extremely high turnover

 

After our mtg last week in Dallas we are about experience extremely high turnover. Gonna give them the metrics they want and interview full time. Not just us RBM's looking to get out. Three RDB's are actively interviewing. The pre-programmed creepy little dude is no DB.

 

Fake News Alert! Our retention rate of high performing sales reps is in the top tier of our industry! Don't let the fired B&L troll spread lies.

 

Gattex has a 70% discontinue rate according to my manger. I don't how how we can sell this drug. I'm looking too. It also costs 400,000.

 

Actually this is quite TRUE across all genetic/rare disease bus. units. What do you expect we have 5000 people going to orlando...?? That's about as big pharma as you get. It was a cluster last year with half the amount of people. If they really cared they would treat the "rare disease" franchises more personally. There is no skin in the game here. And News Flash..the OBU is not rare disease...

 

True. OBU is NOT rare disease. It's primary care. The sooner you realize this, the better off you are. You are no more advanced than any right out of college/first job pharma rep.

 

OBU here -- 70%???!!! -- y'all need head to the nearest lifeboat because that ship is going down! Hopefully they're paying you a killer base salary over there. That's the only way they'll be able to keep people.

 

sorry to burst your naive thinking but any sales driven company worth their salt is about metrics. Any company doing anything productive will have metrics. It's what drives activity, access, penetration and impact. If you don't like being asked to enter call info or think it's beneath you, go become a banker (oh yeah you'll still have metrics on satisfaction) or Rita's owner (again, your franchiser will expect routine metrics). Grow up and allow the rest of us to drive results and not worry about the metrics because we're actually doing our job everyday and not looking over our shoulders or faking our work ethic. Pretty sad commentary and poor reflection on the majority that really do work for a living.

 

Spot On post!

 

Finding a Gattex patient is like trying to find a Unicorn.

You must never have worked in rare disease because you cannot micromanage to metrics in rare disease -- fewer than 4,000 - 6,000 potential patients in existence. Where they do exist they are being treated by providers ranging from primary care to surgeons to oncologists. That's not something reflected in a cycle plan. We try and find these patients by asking office staff to run ICD 10 codes to see if we remotely have a hit, interview support staff, work with dietitians, referrals. The Dr.'s are reluctant to treat these patients because they require a lot of time and work they can't be reimbursed for that time so they are reluctant to give up information even if they do have a patient. So there is a lot of other work that goes into finding a Gattex patient. How do you capture that with Shire metrics? It's a hunter mentality not a primary care mentality. Unfortunately when you're a Gattex RBM being managed by a primary care mentality there is a disconnect. Boots on the ground working to find these patients - get start form and product shipped is very time intensive and is not reflected in the metrics data my RBD and his higher ups see at home while in their office pouring over metrics looking for ways to micromanage and control things they have absolutely no control over.

Even more frustrating is that when you do get a patient and they do start on drug -- 70% discontinue.

So here's a thought ...instead of loooking for ways to micromanage to metrics maybe RBD's could be working on improving their coaching skills, look for ways to bring value to their field travels with their RBM's and provide ongoing development for future opportunities. That's the difference between leaders and managers. We have ALOT of managers at Shire and very FEW leaders.

Is your RBD a leader or a manager?

 

You bring up excellent points all hit the nail on the head!

 

Mine is a manager who needs to start behaving like a leader.

 

Finding solid leadership at this company is like finding a unicorn. The products are great, the leadership is horrible.

 

400,000 a year. But it's all about the patient right? Right.

 

go back to your pod, tri-ad or sleeve....you have no clue what rare disease is. Four hundred is not close to the high end of rare..try eight hundred and up and then your getting expensive.