Vendor Relations Policy

1. Vendor Relations Policy

2. Why Is There A Policy? The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law March 23, 2010. The new law contains a “Physician Payment Sunshine Provision” that requires drug and medical device manufacturers to publicly report gifts and payments given to physicians and teaching hospital personnel beginning in September 2013. This Act, in addition to health care reform in general, has raised widespread national interest in reforming how academic medical centers interact with Vendors.

3. Definition of a Vendor A Vendor is a salesman, or any other representatives of a company, group or other business entity that is a supplier or potential supplier to UNC School of Medicine or Hospitals for drugs, materials, supplies equipment or services.

4. How Does This Affect Me? • Individuals may not accept personal gifts from Vendors including: • Pens • Notepads • Other Marketing Items • Financial Relationships with Vendors are required to be disclosed annually. • Family members of UNC employees are also prohibited from accepting gifts, meals and marketing products from Vendors. They are also required to disclose employment, investments, etc.

5. Meals and General Professional Conference or Meeting • Meals are only acceptable in a consultant relationship or part of the registration at a general professional conference or meeting. • A general professional conference or meeting is a meeting sponsored by a professional association or other entity whose purpose is to promote healthcare, education, and/or networking rather than to manufacture, sell, or distribute products or services that might be used by healthcare providers or patients.

6. External Professional Activities for Pay Covered personnel who are allowed to consult may do so for compensation from Vendors as long as they: • Comply with the University Policy on External Professional Activities for Pay or similarly UNCHCS or UNC Hospital policies; and • Disclose to your supervisor, through the appropriate reporting mechanism, the amount of compensation they expect to receive from the proposed consulting activity; and • Their consulting relationships, including projected compensation, are publicly available • Their compensation for such activities is not deemed excessive by their supervisor.

7. Vendor Relations Accounts • Financial • Vendors will contribute funds to a UNC-CH School of Medicine account • Account will be a Dean’s Office trust fund • Vendor can designate a department • Dean’s Office will work with departments as funds are requested. • Accounts will be created as needed for each department and budget will be allocated as approved by the Dean’s Office for the School of Medicine.

8. Request Form for Vendor Funds • Department Name • Department Account Number • Department Contact Person • CME Event • Purpose of Event (training for conference) • Date of Event • Internal or External Event • Event Location • Amount of Funds Requested • Purpose of Funds (food/location, etc.) • List of Vendors that will be at the event

9. Helpful Information • For questions email: vendorrelations@unch.unc.edu • Additional documentation regarding this policy can be found on the School of Medicine link below: http://www.med.unc.edu/www/administration/policies

10. Questions