New normal: Mind the gap: Window calls the new fad as MRs have working ways altered

Hoshiarpur, July 22

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The medical representatives (MRs) have their lives turned completely upside down as they try to adopt to the new ways amid the pandemic times. The Covid scare may have affected the number of visitors reaching the health facilities, but the MRs, who have to be in touch with the doctors and being duty-bound to call them and visit hospitals regularly, no matter how harsh the situation, are braving out visiting them. Although now, their visits and meetings with doctors have been completely different than the earlier ones and with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place.

Instead of earlier methodology of seeing the doctors when they would personally share the samples and the medicines and the brochures of the products with them – that is long gone. They now have to imbibe new strategies to be in touch with the medical practitioners.

Holding ‘window calls’, in which the doctor is on one side of the window and the MR on the other, have now become a commonplace and every time they have to see a doctor all precautionary measures including sanitising of bags, samples, use of face shields and masks are a must. Earlier, during good old times before the pandemic, they would handover printed literature and brochures and give details of the products with the help of placards and scrap books containing the details related to drugs and new products. But a significant change is now being witnessed, as these are now replaced with the e-brochures, animated descriptive videos and pictures shared either through messaging apps or shown with handheld tablets or laptops.

The completely different mode of working is the only thing they can now go about about their business.

Quotes:

Travel alone is the new normal in this pandemic period. We usually have to travel a lot everyday and earlier many of us used to travel together sharing the vehicles. For longer distances we had been using public transport but now, all of this has come to a halt. Akshay Sharma

We have lost our place in the doctors’ chambers and now, usually doctors meet us coming out or through the windows but it has also added a positive. Our calls have become shorter. Earlier, we used to wait for a couple of hours in doctor’s chamber. Now, most of them meet us in an instant making our task less time-consuming. Hitesh Bassal

Just asking the MRs to drop their reminders or cards or brochures etc. with the attendant is normal now. The doctors avoid meeting personally and if they do, it is for a short while. Earlier, we used to do 12-13 calls daily, but now it is just 4 to 6. Manish Duggal

Digitalisation of our working has marked a big change. Use of laptops, tablets and mobiles to show the digital contents regarding our products is the way we are getting used to. Rohit Sharma