Meeting is over. It was worse than I thought.

[Aristus]

The pharmaceutical rep showed up on time, but my MA supervisor was fifteen minutes late. So he wasn't there when she hugged me. And, I'm not kidding, she asked me: "Do you work out? You're a hardbody!" I thought they only did that in the movies.

As a matter of fact, I do work out. The men in my family run to fat pretty quickly if we don't exercise a lot. But still...

We got through the meeting okay. The MA supervisor showed up finally, and I'm thinking: "Dude, I totally needed you as a chaperone here! You let me down!"

She has an iPhone message alert that sounds like a telegraph. I remarked: "You get telegrams? Old school!" She laughed, patted my wrist, and said: "You're funny! I should hang out with you more often!"

...oh shit!...

Well, our Hepatitis C patients will be able to get good, safe, effective treatment without having to go to a gastroenterologist. But if there are any more meetings before launching the program, I'm going to need a whip and a chair. Or a good 'Incredibles'-style force field...

[WheelWalker]

1. Resistance is Futile

[Aristus]

2. Well, so far, it's worked...

[brush]

17. Some background pls. Are you married or in a relationship?

The woman is letting you know she finds you sexually attractive.

If you don't feel the same way or in a relationship just tell her.

[Aristus]

18. I posted in the original thread that I'm married.

And my wedding ring is hard to miss. I'm sure she's seen it at one point. Next time I see her, I'll just casually mention my wife for some reason.

[demmiblue]

3. Or, you could report her for her unprofessional behavior. n/t

[mitch96]

29. "report her"

Now that you have a witness suggest to her boss she is getting too friendly. This shit would NEVER fly in the hospital I worked at.. Unethical is right...
m

[lapfog_1]

4. I've had sales reps behave this way in the past.

pushing the boundary on professional conduct... warping it really... almost to the point of "hey, we have a booth in Vegas this fall, I'd love for you to come and visit, and I'm sure I can drop by your hotel for a private demonstration".

I would ask the company to assign me a different sales rep.

I would not want there to be any question on the selection of suppliers as far as my organization is concerned.

Of course the attention is flattering... but its not worth the risk to your job.

[Aristus]

5. Don't worry.

Nothing is worth the risk to my job.

As stressful and facepalming as it can be sometimes, I love my job...

[lapfog_1]

6. you should nip this in the bud so to speak

and ask for a different sales rep.

[PunksMom]

7. ...and she's a professional?

I’m thinking she’s walking a fine...jmo 😳

[Aristus]

12. Well, she's not a dilettante. She knows her stuff re: Hep C and treatment.

She's putting me in touch with the authorizing agents and the specialty pharmacies that carry the medication. I would have thought my obvious enthusiasm for the program would let her know she could ratchet down on the demonstrativity (is that a word?).

[PunksMom]

19. I think it's just demonstrative 😊

Anyway, I was in HR field forever, knew a lot of stuff about important things, never crossed that line...and men tried. I agree with the escalating fast comment...just sayin😉
Im also cracking up about the rolling around in the sleeping bag comment. Lol

[Aristus]

20. Such an event would certainly shock the clinic staff.

*rustle, rustle, rustle* Oh HI, guys! What's up?

[PunksMom]

41. Lol!

I’m sure they will know what’s “up”
Okay, I’m done

[Aristus]

45. HA!

Well done!

[Floyd R. Turbo]

8. This sort of thing can get real serious real quick. If things go sideways at some point I'd be

concerned that she would accuse me of inappropriate behavior. If it were me I’d document both episodes, contact her employer, and inform my supervisor of the situation.

Better safe than sorry!

[demmiblue]

9. I agree.

I mean, really, "Do you work out? You're a hardbody!"

Who the hell says that to a client?!

(Also, don't flirt back.)

[Floyd R. Turbo]

13. No one ever said it to me!

For good reason!

[demmiblue]

15. Since I am not your PSR...

Floyd, you are such a hardbody!

[Floyd R. Turbo]

24. Maybe from the neck up! 😏

[Aristus]

42. Don't worry. I didn't.

Next time, I'm bringing out the "Say, you know, my wife blah-blah-blah..."

[magicarpet]

10. Oh goodness,.. just bring a double sized sleeping bag to your next meeting.

You two just get naked,.. climb in the sleeping bag and roll around in the Dacron fill. If your supervisor is agreeable have them climb in the sleeping bag too and make it a threesome.

She is entitled to collect upon her sales commissions,.. don't be such a prude.

[Aristus]

14. *sigh* The things I do for my patients...

[magicarpet]

16. .

All in the name and the cause of advancements for medical science.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. aren't pharmaceutical reps sales people for drug companies?

If that was her purpose, find a way to tell her that coming on to targets...errrr...customers....is very old school.

[MANative]

21. I'm a VP of HR. My advice is to...

Document this to the nth degree. Write out all the details in an electronic document that you can time stamp. If there's someone you trust, have them sign and date a copy of your documentation as a witness to when it occurred, at the very least. It doesn't quite rise to a quid pro quo situation, but certainly a hostile event.

[Aristus]

23. Thank you.

n/t

[sdfernando]

32. Follow the H.R. Manager's advice

You don't want anything placing your marriage in or job in danger.

[RealNewzFakePrez]

33. this is harassment. it needs to stop.

[Duppers]

43. Aristus, pull an Omarosa, record it on your phone.

And you could have your significant other call during the meeting.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. It's plain old sexual harassment, just as if a male rep had tried hitting on

a married (or otherwise) female medical staff/customer. She is obviously making you uncomfortable and she needs to be told her behavior is inappropriate.

[KayF]

25. did you score any swag?

pens, coffee mugs, mouse pads, etc. I love pharmaceutical swag!

[Aristus]

26. No. I dislike swag, because of all the clutter it creates.

At any rate, she really does conduct a substantive presentation on clinical treatment of Hep C. She knows her stuff. She's not some airhead with a med portfolio. So it surprises me that she acts like this. Plus, she never had done so with me, or anyone else on the staff, as far as I know, until just a couple of days ago.

[Aristus]

27. Well, it looks like her colleague will be taking the helm for the next meeting in September.

Another attractive woman, this one in her fifties, I'm guessing. Professional and friendly, but not overly demonstrative. We'll see what happens...

[demmiblue]

31. Oy!

[Aristus]

37. No, I have had some prior visits with her colleague.

Friendly and knowledgable, but low-key and undemonstrative.

[demmiblue]

38. That wasn't what the oy! was about.

No further comment from me.

[malthaussen]

46. But so was the original rep at first, right?

Have you switched colognes or something? And if so, where can I get some?

Seriously, though, I'll agree with the HR VP upthread: cover your ass. As you know from medicine, variations in pattern can indicate something is seriously wrong.

-- Mal

[spooky3]

28. Have you tried telling her directly that her behavior

Makes you uncomfortable and you want it to stop or return to the professional level where it was previously?

[Lint Head]

30. Legal pharmaceutical drug pushers piss me off. I think drug advertising should be outlawed.

There should be direct educational material presented to a doctor. Not pushed through advertising directly to potential patents. All the pharmaceutical companies are doing are increasing profits by prodding patients to ask for that specific drug.
The physician knows what is best for their patient. The latest thing sometimes turns out to be so new that the impact is not fully known until a patient has a bad experience.

[ploppy]

34. People like her piss me off.

Don't put up with her BS! Request a new representative from the company and ask them if all their reps act like her because if they do you will need to change vendors. Document what she has done and send it to them. You have every right to be comfortable in a room with a professional your are working with on a project. Off my soapbox.

[steve2470]

35. Aristus, you must be one handsome, "ripped" dude lol

Even when I was dating in my 20's and 30's, I RARELY got female attention like you described from this woman. I was lucky to get a smile and some friendly conversation. Yes yes I know, this is not dating and a totally different situation.

I think the HR manager's advice about documentation is very sound. "Ripped" means well-defined muscles, just in case you didn't know.

[Aristus]

36. That's open to debate. Ask any DU-er who has seen my pics.

Anyway, looks aside, the consensus in the Lounge seems to be that she wants to make a sale of her medication. The truth is, she's really more of an educator than a sales rep. I've been attending her dinner conferences and seminars for over a year, and she's always been friendly and open. This is the first time she's ever been this demonstrative.

Hell, I never got this kind of attention when I was in my 20's and 30's, either. (I'll be fifty in October). I think it's just that now that I'm in a highly-visible profession off of which the ancillary professions can make a lot of money, perceptions may have changed.

[malthaussen]

47. Not your pics, your pecs. n/t

[fleur-de-lisa]

39. You should tell her that you subscribe to the Mike Pence Rule re: meeting with women alone.

"My wife won't allow it."

[Aristus]

40. Well, the next meeting in September will be with full staff.

And with a rep who has not, so far, displayed similar behavior.

So I think everything will be all right...

[Upthevibe]

44. Meetings can be like that! n/t