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At Issue: Industry representatives in the OR

Orthopedics Today asked: What are the benefits of having detail people in the OR?

Issue: October 2006

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Hallet H. Matthews, MD

A modern day “detail person” now represents a valuable link for a company to a surgeon and hospital facility. They provide education, planning and utilization, preparation and efficiency of a surgical procedure using modern medical technology and devices. They also verify, document, track and provide inventory management of product utilization. Finally, they provide feedback to hospital and company on equipment and devices to ensure safety, quality, and appropriate utilization that may enhance both current and new products of the future.

Hallett H. Mathews, MD, 7650 Parham Rd. #200, Richmond, VA 23294; (804) 270-5163.

Jay Pomerance, MD, SC

I do not allow detail people in the OR. They have been a distraction to the nurses and residents and do not contribute anything useful. If something goes wrong I want to be the one who caused it.

Jay Pomerance, MD, SC,1614 West Central Road, Suite 206, Arlington Heights, IL 60005; (847) 398-5737; JPomerance@handsurgerydoc.com.

William Robb III, MD

An orthopedic OR is a complex environment that requires quality physician leadership, broadly understood operational policies and consistent reliable team performance.

Team members for most complex orthopedic cases include surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, hospital administrators and industry representatives. The industry representatives should play complementary or supportive roles with a goal of an ideal outcome for every orthopedic procedure.

Proper guidelines are needed, however, to ensure that the role of the industry representatives are clearly outlined and understood. Orthopedic industry can support or maintain inventory of orthopedic implants, can be a resource for some technical knowledge regarding specific implants and can assist outside the OR with educating and training physicians, nurses and allied medical personal about implants or implant systems. Industry representatives cannot directly deliver care to orthopedic patients and cannot provide any compensation, direct or indirect, to members of the OR team for using specific orthopedic implants.

William Robb III, MD, Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare 2401 Ravine Way, Glenview, IL 60025; (847) 998-5680; w-robb3@northwestern.edu.

Joshua J. Jacobs, MD

These individuals are a tremendous asset in educating the nursing staff in the OR, particularly those scrub nurses who have limited experience with contemporary orthopedic device instrumentation. Furthermore, they are key resources in ensuring that the device inventory is kept up to date. This allows the surgical staff to be prepared for just about any intraoperative contingency.

Joshua J. Jacobs, MD, 1725 Harrison St., #1063, Chicago Il 60612; (312) 243-4244; jacobs@ortho4.pro.rpslmc.edu.