Zoll Lifecor

[Anonymous]

So I read how you rep's do your job to sell the product, let me post from the other side of the fence, from the clinical side.

So around 100,000 a year are fitted and there is a 1% save rate. Of those 100,000 patients fitted, how many patients had arrhythmias that were treated, and how many of those treated arrhythmias were successful?

I don't see any of you answering the above question...

Ive worked in clinical EP cardiology for 7 years now, have had plenty of patients fitted with LifeVest and thankfully none of them have had to be defib'd. But you know what, the patients were happy to have at least a chance at being saved if they did have a life threatening arrhythmia.

There is always a chance that any device will fail, even the implantable PM/ICD/CRT-D have issues, rare, but they do. I've actually seen more patients for inappropriate implanted device therapy and never seen an inappropriate LifeVest therapies in my area.

Yes, its a niche product, yes the corporate structure is performance based. But you know what, technology isn't free, physicians and clinicians forget about products, and goals are often missed as we cannot predict how many patients are going to need devices like this. As preventative medicine improves, I see less people being fitted for LifeVest. But does that mean we slam the product and shelf it? Absolutely not. What we need are committed rep's who know their product, know cardiology and know that nothing is absolute, numbers change and you don't always win.

I'll answer..... So the VT hit at 150 and the patient got shocked on a rhythm that would have more than likely broke back into sinus. But here it's a save!!!!so let's do the math. Your all excited about 1000 patients out of 100,000. So at a reimbursement rate of around 5000 per month (and don't even try and argue the 5k because this is the number the company uses to calculate your number) the average Cost to the health care industry is approx 500,000 per life saved??? And that's only factoring in one months worth of wear time!!! How about the fact that 30 percent of these patients don't die from ventricular arrhythmia's? Ever heard of a systole or complications from cabg or stent placement. Come on you should know that ms or mr clinician! Does the vest pace? So let's address one more fun fact if your on the CLINICAL side what are you a PSR? So you get paid to hook up patients correct? And do you ever gather any documents? Inappropriate. Do you ever screen patients for your TM? Inappropriate ! Do you think you were hired by your TM because he/she thinks your a great caring person? Do I need to point out areas of the country were PSRs are identifying patients, gathering the paperwork, signing the MO and faxing in the order? Are you one??? Inappropriate !!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

One of my absolute favorite events that occurred at this shithole company was this:

One of the VERY few tenured TM's (5 years +) showed me some "marketing pieces" that he used with different audiences (physicians, nurses, patients, etc...). He ended up giving me copies of all of them. When I tried to order them I ran into trouble...none of them were in the online ordering system.

I asked my RM about them (have you seen them, where can I get them, etc...). He hadn't seen them and didn't know how/where to get them, so he asked our AD. The AD called me and asked me to submit copies of them to him and he'd see if he could help me. A few days passed and my AD called me and proceeded to tell me they were HOMEMADE and that I could use them. I just needed to not let marketing know so they could play dumb! He said that BK in marketing didn't respond to his emails, but rather called him with said information so he could act dumb to these VERY favorable and non-FDA approved pieces!

WTF...just WTF?!?!

 

[Anonymous]

I was just contacted by a recruiter about a sales position. Was told the base salary is around 75K and around 160 at plan. I know there's some negative comments but there's a lot of positive comments about this company, Just talked to a current representative and he is very happy here. Going to go for it wish me the best everyone!!!! Hopefully I can join this team.

 

[Anonymous]

One of my absolute favorite events that occurred at this shithole company was this:

One of the VERY few tenured TM's (5 years +) showed me some "marketing pieces" that he used with different audiences (physicians, nurses, patients, etc...). He ended up giving me copies of all of them. When I tried to order them I ran into trouble...none of them were in the online ordering system.

I asked my RM about them (have you seen them, where can I get them, etc...). He hadn't seen them and didn't know how/where to get them, so he asked our AD. The AD called me and asked me to submit copies of them to him and he'd see if he could help me. A few days passed and my AD called me and proceeded to tell me they were HOMEMADE and that I could use them. I just needed to not let marketing know so they could play dumb! He said that BK in marketing didn't respond to his emails, but rather called him with said information so he could act dumb to these VERY favorable and non-FDA approved pieces!

WTF...just WTF?!?!

BK is a puppet for JW, who encourages unethical sales practices behind the scenes. BIG difference between what they say by phone, and what goes out in written. Be careful- they'll hang you out to dry!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

its a salesmans product. Do your job with concentric selling and add value to your physician by educating them. WE have so many toolls in our bag. use them and stop bitchin.

We're unfortunately running out of suckers...concentric selling only works if customers have a valid want and need, at a reasonable price. this thing costs 10X what it should and everybody knows it...

 

[Anonymous]

I was just contacted by a recruiter about a sales position. Was told the base salary is around 75K and around 160 at plan. I know there's some negative comments but there's a lot of positive comments about this company, Just talked to a current representative and he is very happy here. Going to go for it wish me the best everyone!!!! Hopefully I can join this team.

Lol another manager trying to be slick! Where are the positive comments??? I see thousands of remarks and less than 1% positive just like the Lifevest save rate! Ignore the 70 percent turnover they are all bad hires!!! Soooo if they were in fact hired incorrectly who hired them????? That's right bad managers!!! Listen entry level manager keep your head up and keep spreading the false claims of good money and a bright future. Where are you going to go for your next job??? You think med device companies are looking for DME ZOLL managers??? As soon as they ask you where the heart is in the body the jig is up. Back to pharm , call frequency baby!! Shine your shoes, straiten your tie, your next stop is KCI!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I was just contacted by a recruiter about a sales position. Was told the base salary is around 75K and around 160 at plan. I know there's some negative comments but there's a lot of positive comments about this company, Just talked to a current representative and he is very happy here. Going to go for it wish me the best everyone!!!! Hopefully I can join this team.

Did he ask you for your credit card number just in case the company wanted to check your credit???

 

[Anonymous]

I was just contacted by a recruiter about a sales position. Was told the base salary is around 75K and around 160 at plan. I know there's some negative comments but there's a lot of positive comments about this company, Just talked to a current representative and he is very happy here. Going to go for it wish me the best everyone!!!! Hopefully I can join this team.

Embarrassing! You do understand that recruiters save there best candidates for companies that pay them the best fees! That goes for you to managers! If you were contacted trust me the recruiter was going way back in his Rolodex for names he could submit for this shit position! Most reputable executive search firms wound touch it! So I'm not surprised your excited and are GOING FOR IT. Are you going to just leave verizon or give two weeks?

 

[Anonymous]

Embarrassing! You do understand that recruiters save there best candidates for companies that pay them the best fees! That goes for you to managers! If you were contacted trust me the recruiter was going way back in his Rolodex for names he could submit for this shit position! Most reputable executive search firms wound touch it! So I'm not surprised your excited and are GOING FOR IT. Are you going to just leave verizon or give two weeks?

LOL!!! Sad but true!

 

[Anonymous]

I was just contacted by a recruiter about a sales position. Was told the base salary is around 75K and around 160 at plan. I know there's some negative comments but there's a lot of positive comments about this company, Just talked to a current representative and he is very happy here. Going to go for it wish me the best everyone!!!! Hopefully I can join this team.

The posting on here was limited at best a year ago when I joined this piece of shit company! That isn't an adequate excuse for the horrible decision it has turned out to be, but it's the best I've got...

If you're considering the turd that is ZOLL LifeVest, think about what I just said...in less then 1 year all of the negative posts (no positive posts only managers and corporate idiots) have happened in that timeframe!!! For a sales force no bigger then ZOLL LifeVest there are a TON of them and they are ALL true!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I'll answer..... So the VT hit at 150 and the patient got shocked on a rhythm that would have more than likely broke back into sinus. But here it's a save!!!!so let's do the math. Your all excited about 1000 patients out of 100,000. So at a reimbursement rate of around 5000 per month (and don't even try and argue the 5k because this is the number the company uses to calculate your number) the average Cost to the health care industry is approx 500,000 per life saved??? And that's only factoring in one months worth of wear time!!! How about the fact that 30 percent of these patients don't die from ventricular arrhythmia's? Ever heard of a systole or complications from cabg or stent placement. Come on you should know that ms or mr clinician! Does the vest pace? So let's address one more fun fact if your on the CLINICAL side what are you a PSR? So you get paid to hook up patients correct? And do you ever gather any documents? Inappropriate. Do you ever screen patients for your TM? Inappropriate ! Do you think you were hired by your TM because he/she thinks your a great caring person? Do I need to point out areas of the country were PSRs are identifying patients, gathering the paperwork, signing the MO and faxing in the order? Are you one??? Inappropriate !!!!!

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.

Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.

 

[Anonymous]

So answer the question.... From the clinical side which I also come from... Where is the CLINICAL information that shows the Lifevest statistically decreases mortality??? ICD haven't shown this, but show me the magic mr or mrs clinician??? Like I said you can talk all the crap you want about a patient who had a v fib arrest and was put on a Lifevest by a stupid Dr who then fibs again! Did you need a Lifevest? Or maybe the correct call would have been the ICD. Since your on the clinical side it's easy to see why you just dont get it !!! Nobody in this company thinks the Lifevest should not be on the market! X plants, v tach, lead wires etc terrific product. It's the fact mr or mrs clinician that your leaders think anyone with a pulse needs a vest!! Post cabg post PCI with just a low EF is BULLSHIT,! Remember one thing pigs get fed hogs get slaughtered. So your on the clinical side and have never seen an inappropriate vest???? WTF DO YOU WORK???? If Medicare ever performs a full house audit and compares the H&P that the company submits to the original copy in the chart.... We'll lets just say someone is going to owe some cash!!!! I see patients fit at least twice a week that DO NOT MEET CRITERIA but the Cracker Jack team inside reviewing paperwork decides to fit. Most have ischemic cardiomyopathy printed in big bold letters!!!! So put down the kook aid and try saving some health care money for those people who need it. Ps why don't you review all the CCR reports that come in every month and then come back and tell us a story about all the good things patients have to say!!!!

Interesting, you suggest rationing healthcare "to those who need it." That's simply unethical.

You can argue statistics and numbers until you are blue in the face, but you can never argue them in court when that one patient you thought would be fine for the evidence based waiting period died suddenly. The fear of sudden death trumps any of those evidence based waiting periods. It's all about giving a patient a fighting chance. Even if a patient does not meet the full criteria for an ICD or LV, its best to err on the side of caution. Life threatening arrhythmias don't just live in the realm of low EF's you know.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting, you suggest rationing healthcare "to those who need it." That's simply unethical.

You can argue statistics and numbers until you are blue in the face, but you can never argue them in court when that one patient you thought would be fine for the evidence based waiting period died suddenly. The fear of sudden death trumps any of those evidence based waiting periods. It's all about giving a patient a fighting chance. Even if a patient does not meet the full criteria for an ICD or LV, its best to err on the side of caution. Life threatening arrhythmias don't just live in the realm of low EF's you know.

Who mentioned anything about rationing health care?? Where do you see that written above?? And thanks for proving our point... Fear fear fear!!! You might die... You might get sued ... We know what's best for you even though the chance of something happening is less than 1%. Sound like your using fear to promote your way of thinking. And now that I think of it we live in a society that does ration health care!!! Do you get a vest if you don't have insurance??? So I guess using your logic if ZOLL is going to make there product accessible to patients they probably should accept those patients that don't have insurance??? Correct?? If not don't you think that's rationing health care???? What about those patients don't they deserve there day in court??? You want to expand this product and use it on every tom dick and Harry then get ready for holter and event recorder reimbursements!!! Fool!

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.

Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.

Lol what bull!! How many of your patients passed out with a rate of 110 sloooow. VT???how many passed out at 150????so when you set your Lifevest at 110 and it alarms because of the patients slow VT what are you going to do? The patient is going to bypass any alarms because he is still conscience. If your patient has experienced any sustained VT why is he on a vest??? You trying to tell me your physicians wouldn't plant an ICD?? Now who's being ignorant? And as a health care provider you just decided to check out the ZOLL site??? Yeah right!!! And post operatively those patients that need a antiarrhythmic must have had some form of rhythm that required it to be Rx. If you would have read the posts above you would see that nobody is arguing that the vest not be Rx for those patients that have experienced some form of electrical disturbance. Its your blanket approach to prescribing and in stilling fear in patients that have more of a risk of being hit by a car than have a life threatening arrhythmia!!!

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.

Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.

Who's this idiot??? "Anyone wearing a vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions????" They must not work here. Those aren't our patients!! This person needs a field ride and a wake up call!!! Lol

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting, you suggest rationing healthcare "to those who need it." That's simply unethical.

You can argue statistics and numbers until you are blue in the face, but you can never argue them in court when that one patient you thought would be fine for the evidence based waiting period died suddenly. The fear of sudden death trumps any of those evidence based waiting periods. It's all about giving a patient a fighting chance. Even if a patient does not meet the full criteria for an ICD or LV, its best to err on the side of caution. Life threatening arrhythmias don't just live in the realm of low EF's you know.

Rationing health care to those that need it is unethical!!! Lol should we pass out money to those that don't need it?

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.

Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.

This so called health care provider should have a dedicated phone by there bed to accept calls from patients when they set VT below 150! Totally oblivious to LV capabilities!! Ridiculous argument. Has no idea what patients are being put on vests. In their mind product being used sparingly. Don't blame them they are way over there head posting on this site.

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.

Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.

I call bull to VT probably not going to break because patient EF under 35. Worked in CCU for several years previous life. Breaks all the time and can be seen everyday in the CCU. Any of our patients that had sustained VT regardless of rate would get ICD. Yes some medical exceptions. Not sustained with lesser co morbidities we would write a vest. And we did not write many vests. Drs didn't see need for most patients. Either do I. Company is over selling this device.

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.
Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.[/

Arrogant is pretending to know about the device when you don't work for the company!!. The device is not a ICD. It's not interrogated or set in your office. You don't know what your talking about. Don't dazzle us with your vast clinical knowledge unless you've been in the trenches and experienced the concerns, comments, and patient complaints that we have to deal with everyday! What's the algorithm ? Is it proprietary ? Does someone else own it? Nobody ever trained the sales force on it so how do you know what the capabilities of the device are?? I can verify just about all the comments from posters who work at this company. Do your self a favor and keep your comments to your area of expertise. Blood pressure and check out.

 

[Anonymous]

What an ignorant post. I guess you've never heard of slow VT, we've had plenty of patients need their VT detection rates lowered on their ICD's simply because of slow VT. Personally, i've seen it down to 110 bpm. The fact of the matter is that anyone who is wearing the vest has been documented to be in a rather vulnerable postoperative state and on major physical restrictions. If their heart rate suddenly increases to 150 bpm and the device recognizes the rhythm as a ventricular focus, its a safe bet its VT. When you are dealing with someone with an LVEF of less than 35%, that specific rhythm is more than likely not going to break on its own and needs to be treated, especially if its occured while the patients on a heart failure drug regimen.

As far as you bringing up postoperative complications, medical therapy involving antiarrhythmics alone is not able to cover everyone at risk of developing a deadly arrhythmia. For you to argue that the risk of the patient going asystolic or having "complications from CABG" is not enough to warrant a temporary ICD while the patient is made to wait their 30-90 days is proposterous and rather unethical. The Zoll vest has saved a lot of lives, period.
Lastly, i'm not a "PSR" or "TM", I work in a private cardiology practice.[/

Arrogant is pretending to know about the device when you don't work for the company!!. The device is not a ICD. It's not interrogated or set in your office. You don't know what your talking about. Don't dazzle us with your vast clinical knowledge unless you've been in the trenches and experienced the concerns, comments, and patient complaints that we have to deal with everyday! What's the algorithm ? Is it proprietary ? Does someone else own it? Nobody ever trained the sales force on it so how do you know what the capabilities of the device are?? I can verify just about all the comments from posters who work at this company. Do your self a favor and keep your comments to your area of expertise. Blood pressure and check out.

LOL!! You work in a private cardiology practice? Ha, I have never laughed so hard!! Thanks for the laugh marketing or management..how desperate can you be? Yes the LV has saved lives, but at what expense, with only saving just a bit over 1% of lives, docs are right doing nothing 99% of the time. Couple that with the lack of any solid data and selling on smoke a mirrors and you see why 75% of the sales force is under a year with the company.