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/215327
  • 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/215327
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.


THOM DAHLE

Listed Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
1200 6TH AVE N, CENTRACARE CLINIC, SAINT CLOUD, MN, 56303-2735

2018 Payments: At a Glance

169

payments

$89,007

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Honoraria
17 $41,025
Promotional Speaking/Other
7 $18,550
Consulting
8 $12,319
Travel and Lodging
40 $12,190
Food and Beverage
97 $4,923

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
IMPELLA

device

$40,260
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

$11,733
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

$8,990
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

$8,911
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

$8,891
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$5,120
INTERVENTIONAL PRODUCTS

device

$2,464
CATHETERS - ARROW

device

$791
CATHETER - TURNPIKE

device

$440
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

$391
PHOENIX CATHETER SYSTEM

device

$364
GENERAL STENTS

device

$167
WATCHMAN

device

$138
ABSORB

device

$120
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

$106
XIENCE ALPINE CORNARY STENT SYSTEM

device

$46
RESOLUTE

device

$39
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

$31
GUIDEZILLA

device

$23
SYNERGY

device

$23
† 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/215327

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 23, 2018 $4,800 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $3,750 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Consulting CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $3,100 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 1, 2018 $3,100 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 9, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Oct 4, 2018 $3,000 No Listed Product Consulting VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $3,000 COREVALVE EVOLUT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Jul 12, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Jan 26, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Aug 7, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Sep 20, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Feb 24, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Oct 12, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Sep 24, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Mar 1, 2018 $3,000 IMPELLA Honoraria ABIOMED
Dec 17, 2018 $3,000 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Honoraria EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jan 25, 2018 $2,850 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Consulting CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
May 31, 2018 $2,300 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 20, 2018 $1,985 IMPELLA Travel and Lodging ABIOMED

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/215327

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.