Evolving Role

Today, Amylin employs these field-based medical professionals in a much broader way. For example, DCLs now work not just with diabetes educators, but with primary care physicians, who play a major role in handling the growing burden of diabetes. The strong clinical background of DCLs qualifies them to address ongoing educational needs and thus enhance patient care in the primary care setting.

Additionally, as the corporate business has expanded, the DCL team has been tasked with expanding its reach beyond diabetes. Diabetes Clinical Liaisons are now called Clinical Management Liaisons, emphasizing the team's experience in direct patient care and reflecting the team's expanded role.

Evaluating the objective impact of the DCL team—and indeed any field-based medical team—is challenging. Unlike the traditional sales force, there are no standard metrics, such as prescriptions, office calls, or dinner programs, to analyze. Indeed, for this team, the "customers" have been largely non-prescribers.

Instead, the success of medical teams is generally defined by their ability to appropriately educate thought leaders—their customers—on the science and support their efforts to educate their peers and patients. However, certain evaluation strategies can still be employed. For example, Amylin conducted surveys to evaluate three key measures of the DCL team's success, including 1) the transfer of information, 2) the reach of the KOL in educating others, and 3) feedback from the KOL and internal corporate customers regarding the effectiveness of the services provided. Based on these measurements, DCLs proved that they provided positive impact.

While clearly distinct from their commercial colleagues in the field, the synergy between the medical teams' activities is critical to the successful integration of a new therapy. After all, for novel therapies to be prescribed, clinicians must understand the science behind the compound, as well as the practical considerations of utilizing such a therapy.

Gayle Lorenzi is a director of medical affairs, Amylin Pharmaceuticals. She can be reached at gayle.lorenzi@amylin.com

Barbara Schreiner is the senior clinical education specialist, Amylin Pharmaceuticals. She can be reached at barb.schreiner@amylin.com

Jimmy Black, Pharm.D, is the senior regional director, Field Medical Team, Amylin Pharmaceuticals. He can be reached at Jimmy.Black@amylin.com>