When a doctor says "it is expensive", he is rarely talking only about the price.
In my experience, doctors weigh value as benefit over cost. The benefit is what changes for the patient. The cost is everything the change demands, from the patient and from the doctor.
- Patient benefit: control, tolerability, simpler dosing.
- Patient cost: price, tablets per day, extra visits.
- Doctor effort: time to explain, monitor or switch.
- Risk he feels: changing a patient who is already stable.
Most reps fight on the benefit side only. Many doctors are deciding on the cost side.
So before you detail, ask which of the four matters most to him. Then speak to that one.
“Value is what the doctor gets, divided by what it costs him and his patient.”
Lesson 12 of 15 in Step 5: The visit, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.