Over 200,000 impressions, over 300 comments, and 34 shares on LinkedIn. Of what you may be asking? Of a toilet…and RepScrubs® balanced precariously on the edge of the toilet seat.
The LinkedIn post made by Bryan Tarrolly, an independent distributor, was more than a picture. It also included the following text, “REPSCRUBS…Rumor has it, at an account in Minneapolis, a spine rep flat out told his surgeon he would no longer be covering his cases as long as he was forced to wear paper scrubs. The surgeon raised “holy hell” with administration. GUESS WHAT…no more Repscrubs!! #weneedyourhelp #orthopedicsurgeon #stopthemoneygrab”While OTW cannot confirm the above rumor, OTW can confirm that the post has sparked a lively debate both online and offline. OTW went to the source of the post as well as RepScrubs to get insight into the supposed controversy over sales rep scrubs.
A Conversation With Bryan Tarrolly
Tarrolly is no stranger to the orthopedics industry. He has 30 years of sales experience with a broad focus including minimally invasive spine surgery, custom total joints, foot and ankle, upper extremity, and postoperative pain management. Over the years he has worked as a distributor or senior sales representative for Smith & Nephew, Stryker, Arthrex, and Midwest Surgical Inc.
OTW spoke with Tarrolly about his experience with sales rep scrubs. Tarrolly explained to OTW, “My experience is that I have worn them and I would prefer cloth scrubs. These are hot and of poor quality. I wear an XL and the pants cover half my foot…way too long, so I have to cut them. Every rep I see wearing them complains and is very angry about this change.”
When asked about his personal experience with institutions requiring them, Tarrolly told OTW, “There is one health system I currently work with that has implemented RepScrubs.”
Cost Environment Quality
OTW also asked Tarrolly his opinion about what he thinks are the biggest issues with sales rep scrubs. Tarrolly said, “There are a number of issues. Cost, environment, quality, it’s demoralizing. We were once considered part of the team, now this alienates vendors and further divides us. Please take a moment to read all of the comments in my post. It is quite obvious; this is a sore subject for many.”
OTW did take the time to read all of the comments in the post. While most seemed to support Tarrolly’s perspective, there appeared to be a variety of reasons for the support. Some commenters had similar complaints about quality and fit. Others brought up cost and convenience and some supported alternatives to differentiating scrubs such as a red scrub cap.
Are there any redeeming qualities to sales rep scrubs? Not in Tarrolly’s opinion. “From the vendors’ perspective there are no redeeming qualities to offering disposable, polypropylene scrubs. These are unnecessary and just another money grab from the vendor community. There are much better options in the marketplace such as EZScrubs dispensing machines.”
Tarrolly continued, “The argument that reps are the problem as it relates to theft is somewhat valid, but I’d argue, a very small percentage of total laundry theft is sales reps. RFID cloth dispensing machines would virtually eliminate theft. Even w/RepScrubs, laundry theft will not go away until access to cloth scrubs is monitored. If there is open access to scrubs, then it’s ‘open season’ for anyone who has access to take scrubs home with them.”
Tarrolly also mentioned, regarding environmental concerns, “I did a little research on polypropylene…According to polypropylene (PP) production and recycling figures provided by American Chemistry Council, PP is one of the least recycled post-consumer plastics, at a rate below 1% for post-consumer recovery.”
Tarrolly elaborated, “Because of the short lifespan of PP made packaging, the majority of these thermoplastics end up in landfills as waste. The US Environmental Protection Agency states that approximately 20% of solid waste produced comprises some form of plastics which include PP.”
“Products made of PP degrade slowly in landfills and take around 20 to 30 years to completely decompose. This characteristic poses severe environmental concerns. Additives used in plastic products may contain toxins such as lead and cadmium. Studies suggest that cadmium contained in plastic products has the potential to percolate and can have extremely harmful consequences for a number of bio-systems. Also, the burning of thermoplastics like PP can discharge dioxins and vinyl chloride.”
A Discussion With Jeffrey Feuer
OTW also got the opportunity to speak with RepScrubs Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Feuer. Feuer also used a picture in support of his position. Before our discussion, he sent over a picture from an operating room at the Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute at St. Mary’s Medical Center. The photograph featured six smiling individuals, two in black scrubs and four in blue RepScrubs with red bouffant caps. Feuer remarked to OTW, “How different would this image be if all were in standard scrubs. Who is who.”
Feuer has been the chairman and CEO of RepScrubs for almost a decade. Prior to joining RepScrubs, Feuer spent over 24 years with Stryker in various sales positions. His last position was as National Sales Director (Surgical).
RepScrubs
OTW spoke with Feuer about his views on the main benefits of RepScrubs. According to Feuer, “The RepScrubs solution fills the gap in the perioperative vendor management forum. RepScrubs connects, automates, and optimizes data while ensuring all are accountable to hospital and regulatory policies.”
OTW also asked Feuer whether he was aware that some sales reps are against wearing RepScrubs and if so, what he thought is their biggest concern. “I believe a lack of understanding,” said Feuer, “of our true solution regarding data, compliance requirements and security. They see scrubs, nothing further.”
Feuer continued, “It is our job to inform them of our core value as a data and compliance provider, not a scrub company. Cost is another concern but is often overstated. The average annual expense per member rep is $365 per year.”
When asked whether RepScrubs has had any clients cancel their accounts due to push back from sales reps, Feuer told OTW, “Among the 400 hospitals and health systems utilizing our platform we had 5 hospitals shy from final implementation due to vendor concerns. We are pleased to state most of this vendor pushback has subsided due to potential liabilities, detriment to hospital relations, and the volume of alternative compliant vendor partners which number over 32,000 nationwide.”
Tarrolly’s LinkedIn Post
Feuer gave two separate responses to Tarrolly’s LinkedIn post. He first commented on the truthfulness of the post to OTW, stating, “As you can see, like most of these social posts, it was based on rumor which of course is untrue. The truth, just this month of August RepScrubs successfully rolled out the largest healthcare system in Minneapolis adding to the list of our esteemed health systems.”
Feuer also referred OTW to a letter he drafted to address RepScrubs’ mission and the “unique value proposition RepScrubs delivers for healthcare providers and their patients.” The letter addressed the numerous gaps in the perioperative space and how the “RepScrubs solution fills that gap.”
The letter also addressed social media posts by customers, stating, “At RepScrubs we hear the voice of our med-device customers. We understand some are dismayed by change and use social media to standout and be heard. That’s okay if policy and patient care remain the priority.”
“Nobody likes change, but it’s inevitable. The medical sector has witnessed tremendous change over the last decade culminating in many new requirements due to Covid 19. Additional best practices, regulations and policies aimed at transparency and control adds to the cost and privilege of doing business within the hospital walls. The changes are not meant to be punitive but are guided by industry associations or regulatory bodies where heightened documentation and accountability from healthcare providers is being measured.”
At the end of our discussion, Feuer remarked to OTW, “We appreciate the opportunity to serve, and those who honor that same privilege. Our mission is pure and necessary for changes the healthcare sector must respond to. Based on our automated technologies, global partnerships and diverse data offerings we have developed a unique solution that fills the gap around documentation, compliance and accountability positioning us as experts in the field of perioperative vendor management.”
Sales Rep Scrubs
Scrubs are a necessity in the operating room and vendors, reps, and hospitals will continue to seek solutions that meet this need in an ever-changing surgical landscape. Sales rep scrubs are one of the solutions that have developed over the years. While the solution addresses healthcare concerns it also appears to be a solution that some believe has the opportunity for improvement.
What are your experiences with sales rep scrubs? Let us know in the comments below.
$365 a year huh? Try going to work every day and paying $8 for only 1 reason. This company is only out to exploit a helpless work force population. Their product is of the worst quality and does absolutely nothing to lower infection rates or raise compliance. On top of nearly $2500 a year in expense, (not $365) they charge a yearly membership fee to allow vendors to purchase the scrubs. Please follow up on this story to raise awareness on a company that does nothing but harm healthcare.
The non hospital employed Healthcare workers are also being forced to wear these.
It is humiliating. Imagine having to interview a patient to get a health history prior to providing a service in the OR and wearing prison uniform type paper scrubs. What message does that send? We were already paying for cloth scrubs. It’s insulting and demeaning and singles us out.
It doesn’t do anything beneficial.
At approx 2150$ annually, this cost is going to be rolled back into costs applied to facilities and then to the patients