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/186900
  • 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/186900
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.

KRISTOFER CHARLTON-OUW

Listed Specialty: Surgery
6400 FANNIN ST, SUITE 2850, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-1521

2018 Payments: At a Glance

56

payments

$5,633

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $2,500
Food and Beverage
 52 $2,355
Travel and Lodging
 3 $778

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

 $3,358
TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $446
ENDURANT

device

 $273
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $224
CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $221
COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH

device

 $209
EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $180
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

 $119
COOK MEDICAL THORACIC

device

 $107
PROGEL

device

 $106
ARISTA AH

device

 $83
VALIANT CAPTIVIA

device

 $70
FUSION BIOLINE

device

 $38
ECM

device

 $38
GENERAL ATHERECTOMY

device

 $33
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

 $30
CAROTID WALLSTENT

device

 $30
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

 $28
INNOVA

device

 $23
EVICEL

drug

 $22
† 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.

For ease of printing, only the 20 drugs and devices with the highest payments are displayed. For a complete list, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/186900

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 10, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. University Of Texas
Oct 5, 2018 $284 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $259 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $234 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $180 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $179 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Dec 10, 2018 $125 COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED
Jun 12, 2018 $119 COOK MEDICAL AAA Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Feb 14, 2018 $116 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 2, 2018 $112 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $111 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 20, 2018 $103 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $97 COOK MEDICAL THORACIC Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Oct 5, 2018 $97 No Listed Product Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $84 COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Dec 22, 2018 $83 PROGEL ARISTA AH Food and Beverage DAVOL INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $82 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 31, 2018 $77 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $52 VALIANT CAPTIVIA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 6, 2018 $48 No Listed Product 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/186900

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.