Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
You can print this page and show it to your doctor.

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

ProPublica's Dollars for Docs database lets you search for payments to U.S.-based doctors made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies between August 2013 and December 2018. The disclosure of these payments is required under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

About This Information

  • The information that appears here comes directly from the federal government. Companies must attest to its accuracy, and doctors have the ability to contest information they believe is in error.
  • This site includes payments for such activities as speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. It does not include payments for clinical research.
  • It is legal for companies to make payments to doctors as long as the payments are not a kickback or inducement to use their products.
  • Some doctors say collaborative relationships, particularly those involving research, are necessary to develop new treatments and cures. But many ethicists have raised questions about the payments, and studies show that they may influence doctors' prescribing decisions.
  • Only you can decide if this matters to you and if so, whether you want to talk with your doctor about it. If you plan to talk with your doctor (or if you already have), please help us by filling out this short survey: propub.li/participate-d4d

Preparing for Your Conversation

If you decide you'd like to talk to your doctor about this, please keep in mind:

  • Many health care professionals in our database have similar names, so you should start by asking your doctor if the person mentioned in this payment record is really him/her.
  • Your doctor may not know he or she is listed as receiving payments, especially if the payments are small. You can direct your doctor to this site (the URL will be printed at the top of the payment record) or directly to the government's site here: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/1105884
  • Some doctors are happy to discuss this information with you. Others might not be. The best approach is to ask questions and to not be accusatory.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

  • Is this you?
  • What type of work do you do with these companies?
  • Have you prescribed me any drugs that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?
  • Are there non-drug alternatives that I may want to consider first?
  • Are there less expensive generic alternatives to the drugs you have prescribed?
  • What devices have you used in my care that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?

Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1105884
If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

TUNG-CHIN HSIEH

Listed Specialty: Urology
200 W ARBOR DR # 8220, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92103-1911

2018 Payments: At a Glance

75

payments

$50,396

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $26,600
Consulting
 4 $13,730
Travel and Lodging
 21 $6,278
Food and Beverage
 41 $1,866
Grant
 2 $1,364
Education
 3 $558

Drugs & Devices in 2018

Totals listed below account for all payments from that mention this product. Beginning in 2016, the government began classifying products as drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies. Below, you will see drugs (drugs and biologics) and devices (devices and medical supplies). If a payment record mentions more than one product, the entire value will be included in each of those products. When no products are listed, they are not included in the list below.

Product Name Product Type Payments†
AMS

device

 $26,910
AVEED

drug

 $6,718
EDEX

drug

 $5,791
TITAN

device

 $3,332
XIAFLEX

drug

 $3,117
NATESTO

drug

 $2,144
GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

device

 $1,044
THERAPIES

device

 $891
GENERAL MALE SUI

device

 $364
GENERAL - ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

device

 $248
ADVANCE

device

 $56
SPECTRA

device

 $44
REZUM

device

 $26
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

device

 $18
ENSEAL PRODUCT FAMILY

device

 $18
STRATAFIX

device

 $18
SURGICEL FAMILY OF ABSORBABLE HEMOSTATS

device

 $18
ULTRA VAC

device

 $18
GENERAL BPH

device

 $11
† May not add up to dollar total at top of page, since a payment record may not be associated with any product or can be associated with several products.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 24, 2018 $13,950 AMS Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES
Jun 26, 2018 $5,250 AVEED Consulting ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $4,950 AMS Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES
Sep 12, 2018 $4,950 AMS Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES
Oct 24, 2018 $4,380 EDEX Consulting ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 12, 2018 $2,750 XIAFLEX Promotional Speaking/Other ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
May 24, 2018 $2,134 AMS Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES
Jan 29, 2018 $2,100 TITAN Consulting COLOPLAST CORP
Oct 8, 2018 $2,000 NATESTO Consulting AYTU BIOSCIENCE, INC
Jan 10, 2018 $1,000 GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION Grant BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Feb 22, 2018 $530 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 31, 2018 $509 TITAN Travel and Lodging COLOPLAST CORP
Apr 13, 2018 $492 AVEED Travel and Lodging ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 4, 2018 $450 TITAN Education COLOPLAST CORP
Jun 13, 2018 $364 GENERAL MALE SUI Grant BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE
Sep 21, 2018 $267 EDEX Travel and Lodging ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $260 EDEX Travel and Lodging ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $241 EDEX Travel and Lodging ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $228 AMS Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES
May 24, 2018 $224 AMS Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION TUNG-CHIN HSIEH SERVICES

For ease of printing, 20 payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top. For a full list of payments, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1105884

Note: We have made some effort to normalize the data and eliminate duplicates, but the data is primarily as it has been reported by the companies to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To purchase the normalized data, please visit the ProPublica Data Store. If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.