- Image via CrunchBase
Gone are the days of relying on inefficient telephone calls, manual processes and error-prone faxes to
schedule and manage inventory for implant surgeries. InVivoLink, LLC (IVL) has released a new mobile application for medical device sales representatives for use on the iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry and other devices.
With the IVL mobile application, called “Remote Control,” important case and inventory data for surgeries literally is at the reps’ fingertips – instead of buried within piles of hard-to-read, difficult-to-access faxes or scribbled notes from phone calls. Whether using the mobile app or InVivoLink’s Web application on a laptop or netbook, IVL users work when, where and how they want, because critical events don’t just happen during “office hours.”
“Thanks to InVivoLink’s app on my iPhone, I have been able to greatly improve the speed and efficiency of scheduling and case management for procedures. I can quickly access my data, inventory and case schedules where and when it’s convenient, whether I’m near a computer or not. The mobile app is a key benefit of IVL’s platform, ultimately allowing me to
spend more time on more productive sales activities,” said Gary Howington, sales manager, DePuy Orthopedics. The mobile app is an extension of IVL’s existing Web app that currently is being used to manage scheduling and inventory for “physician-driven” medical device sales force automation.
“At InVivoLink, we believe Web-based, collaborative and mobile technologies are disruptive forces in the medical device community, and that they can reduce waste and improve patient care,” said InVivoLink CEO Ryan Wells. “Our mobile app is a prime example of how we are improving the way stakeholders communicate. Being Web-based allows hospitals, physicians, sales reps and distributor operations to all share the same information in real-time. That’s how relationships should work.”
For the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, the application is available for download on iTunes or at Apptism.
John Bass, InVivoLink COO, noted, “IVL’s multi-modal solution stands out because we liberate our clients from hardware lock-ins. Medical device reps can work where and how they want, on the device of their choosing. We don’t force a legacy system or less-capable mobile device on our customers.”
“It’s true that enabling and supporting multiple devices costs more, but we believe there’s payback in productivity improvements and system adoption rates. After all, the only way to get a return on investment is through system adoption – and the way to drive adoption is by giving people tools they want to use,” continued Bass.
Syncing up with the implant distributor’s operations team, IVL’s mobile app allows sales reps to quickly and conveniently:
• Use “Quick Codes” to save and schedule implant cases with pre-populated inventory lists for common procedures
• View inventory request status, and check individual and team case schedules
• Be immediately alerted to and access “physician-driven procedures” (when physicians schedule their own procedures using IVL’s platform, everyone sees the updates)
With IVL, medical device suppliers experience fewer errors due to improved workflows, along with enhanced case scheduling, inventory control, customer support and analytics. The less time reps have to spend flipping through faxes or on the phone with hospitals and physicians coordinating surgeries, the more time they have to build their businesses and add value to customers. Most importantly, reduced reliance on phone calls and manual processes results in fewer mistakes, better planning and improved patient safety.
For complicated procedures, reps can choose to work from their computers to manage and order inventory instead of on their mobile. Bass noted that this is another benefit of IVL’s technology: “Reps can do the same thing on their mobile that they can do from a computer. It’s the same data and the same system, which can be used collaboratively with physicians. That’s
a huge value for everyone involved, including the patient.”
InVivoLink’s solutions capture data before, during and after implant surgeries to improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes, all while enhancing patient safety. InVivoLink’s technology currently is being used by physicians and implant distributors across four states. These distributors represent manufacturers that supply approximately 75 percent of the medical devices used in the United States.
