Scalpel or sales pitch? New review challenges the narrative that device reps are in theatre to ‘sell’

The evolving presence of in-theatre medical technicians, who are employed by medtech companies, has again come under the spotlight, following a recent article in The Australian.

Private Healthcare Australia (PHA) has been accused of peddling an “inaccurate and misleading assertion” that in-theatre medical technicians (also referred to as medical device representatives) are in operating theatres merely to sell products.

A new Australian review argues that the evolving role of a medical device rep to a “technical adviser is both appropriate and well established” and that “ethical and legal guidelines exist and are, it would appear, broadly complied with.”

Drawing on interviews with stakeholders, the review unpacks the complex and often misunderstood intersection of surgery and sales. It finds that the support provided by in-theatre technicians is crucial in an era of increasingly sophisticated medical devices.

“This analysis of current regulatory measures in areas such as hospital safety, privacy and professional regulation and conflicts of interests, leads to a conclusion that the evolving relationship between MDRs (medical device representatives) and surgeons has not taken place in a regulatory vacuum and sufficient frameworks are in place to protect the public,” the authors wrote.

The key recommendation from the review is for greater transparency and communication with patients, including full disclosure of not only the presence of in-theatre technicians but also their role during surgery.

Associate Professor Kerin Fielding, orthopaedic surgeon and immediate past RACS president, described in-theatre technicians as essential, saying “I could not work without them.”

In rural and regional hospitals, where staffing shortages often mean stretched nursing and administrative support, in-theatre medical technicians help bridge the gap. According to RACS, these technicians also play a critical role in inventory management, ensuring the right medical devices and tools are always available.

The Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) echoed this sentiment, stating that technical support “…enhance[s] the instrument handling efficiency of the case and contributes to patient safety and better outcomes.”

More than 100 cardiologists have also weighed in, penning an open letter to the Health Minister during his previous term. They described medtech cardiac technicians as “integral to the clinical care team,” especially in the management of implantable cardiac devices.

Ian Burgess, CEO of the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), pushed back against PHA’s criticisms, questioning the motives behind the claims.

“Efforts to remove or discredit this support, driven largely by the corporate private health insurance lobby, seek only to improve corporate health insurer’s bottom line,” Burgess emphasised.

“False claims that these professionals are in theatre to ‘sell’ are disrespectful to surgeons, nurses, and the technical staff themselves. Decisions about who is in an operating room and the devices used, rest exclusively with the surgeon. Technicians serve solely at the request of the operating team.”

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