ACCP Prepares PHARMA Reps to be Valuable Resources for Physicians

(NORTHBROOK, IL, July 15, 2009)—In an ever-changing and scrutinized health-care environment, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) is bringing together physicians and industry representatives in a unique education program that emphasizes the significant mutual benefits that each group provides. "Gone are the days when pharmaceutical representatives could walk into a physician office with lunch or other perks and leave with a promise of increased medical prescriptions for their drug," said David Eubanks, EdD, RRT, FCCP(Hon), Senior Vice President, American College of Chest Physicians. "In the current health-care environment, industry representatives need to bring more to the table than just lunch – they need to provide real value by sharing the latest clinical research and information."

The ACCP recognized early on the changing landscape in health-care. The College also recognized the importance of physician-industry relationships and the need to show the two groups how they could work together without compromising ethical and professional values. In 2004, the ACCP piloted its first Professional Representative Education Program (ACCP PREP®), designed to prepare industry representatives to communicate intelligently and professionally with physicians and other members of the health-care team about the health-care industry and the clinical setting, as well as the drugs they promote.

"The goal of ACCP PREP® is to educate industry representatives how to become valuable resources for physicians," notes ACCP PREP® Site Director Kalpalatha Guntupalli, MD, FCCP, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. "Industry representatives can become valued resources by providing physicians with thorough and accurate information about their drug and how physicians can use it to get the best possible outcome for patients. And, that’s what we hope for as clinicians—the best possible outcome for our patients." Because the ACCP is a multidisciplinary organization, a unique feature of the program is that it can prepare representatives with information about diseases and conditions other than those of the cardiopulmonary system. ACCP PREP® can be tailored to fit the needs of each company and can be adapted to address any disease state. Examples of topics from prior programs are urology, oncology, neurology, sleep, and breast cancer.

Managed by the ACCP from content to delivery, ACCP PREP® is delivered in phases, over the course of 1 to 4 days, using proven adult learning techniques.

• Phase I: Phase I involves independent study from a syllabus written by experts in the field. Participants establish a baseline understanding in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and other sciences to prepare them for an understanding of specific diseases and conditions, such as thrombosis, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung cancer, and others.
• Phase II: In Phase II of the program, participants engage in a customized, interactive learning program based on clinical cases and delivered by experts at nationally recognized medical institutions. Participants may become engaged in in-depth education sessions on disease states, tour medical facilities, accompany physicians in clinical areas (HIPPA compliant), and participate in Q&A sessions with patients.
• Phase III: Phase III, which will be rolled out later this year, will include advance training in specific diseases and associated comorbidities, along with an understanding of guidelines and clinical trials information. Also included will be a more in-depth understanding of the interaction of hospital operations and personnel, as well as a patient simulation education component.

To maintain ethical standards, no specific drugs or device names are mentioned unless all competitive drugs or devices are given equal attention, creating a fair and balanced presentation and discussion. Furthermore, all program activities are in compliance with HIPPA regulations, Office of Inspector General’s Guidelines, and other regulatory groups.

"Industry representatives complete the program after being immersed in the hospital and clinical environments. Through this engagement, representatives develop an understanding and appreciation for what physicians and other clinicians do and what role industry plays in patient care," said ACCP PREP® Site Director Jeffery S. Vender, MD, FCCP, Northshore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL. After completing the program, participants receive a certificate of completion and an ACCP PREP® pin. Graduates of Phase II of the program also receive authorization to place the ACCP PREP® logo on their business card.

"Through ACCP PREP®, industry representatives learn to utilize the latest research and evidence related to their drugs and specific disease states in order to help physicians address difficult-tomanage cases. In turn, physicians provide significant feedback on drug utilization, side effects, difficulties in disease management, and more," said James A. L. Mathers, Jr., MD, FCCP, President, ACCP. "The relationship between physicians and industry is extremely important. And, ACCP PREP® creates a win-win situation for physicians and industry representatives." Now in its fifth year, ACCP PREP® has "graduated" almost 3,000 industry representatives from six companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim, sanofi-aventis, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and The Medicines Company.

The ACCP represents 17,400 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States and throughout the world. The ACCP’s mission is to promote the prevention and treatment of diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research, and communication. For more information about the ACCP, please visit the ACCP Web site at www.chestnet.org.