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/1171056
  • 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/1171056
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.

DONALD HEGLAND

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
2100 ERWIN RD, DURHAM, NC, 27710-0001

2018 Payments: At a Glance

40

payments

$11,607

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $4,600
Consulting
 3 $4,556
Food and Beverage
 31 $1,279
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,173

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $5,223
NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT

device

 $3,056
SUB-C

device

 $1,500
ENDURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $344
CLARIA MRI

device

 $263
SIMULUS

device

 $206
VISIA AF

device

 $153
WATCHMAN

device

 $146
GENERAL TACHY

device

 $144
LIFEVEST

device

 $134
SEEQ

device

 $116
GLIDELIGHT

device

 $79
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $73
ACUNAV

device

 $71
AZURE

device

 $40
ADVISA

device

 $33
MICRA

device

 $15
ELIQUIS

drug

 $13
† 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
Mar 9, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $1,528 NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 20, 2018 $1,528 NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 13, 2018 $1,500 SUB-C Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Mar 7, 2018 $623 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $336 ENDURITY PACEMAKER Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 21, 2018 $206 SIMULUS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 11, 2018 $144 GENERAL TACHY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 10, 2018 $132 CLARIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $116 SEEQ Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 25, 2018 $112 CLARIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $105 VISIA AF Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $100 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 18, 2018 $85 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 14, 2018 $79 GLIDELIGHT Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
May 9, 2018 $73 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Food and Beverage BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $71 ACUNAV Food and Beverage BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $61 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 4, 2018 $34 AZURE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.

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/1171056

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.