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/223859
  • 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/223859
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.

ALEXANDER DRTIL

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
915 GESSNER RD, STE 585, HOUSTON, TX, 77024-2527

2018 Payments: At a Glance

138

payments

$36,913

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 51 $23,279
Promotional Speaking/Other
 5 $10,500
Food and Beverage
 79 $2,599
Travel and Lodging
 3 $535

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†
XARELTO

drug

 $10,913
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $8,785
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $7,547
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $2,309
CRT-DS

device

 $1,715
ICDS

device

 $1,300
PACEMAKERS

device

 $611
WATCHMAN

device

 $602
ALLURE CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $600
QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR

device

 $600
CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $374
CRT-PS

device

 $300
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $284
RESONATE

device

 $138
MULTAQ

drug

 $111
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $102
RESOLUTE

device

 $93
CIRCULAR MAPPING CATHETERS

device

 $83
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $67
MRI READY LEADS

device

 $61
† 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/223859

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 10, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Alexander Drtil, MD, PA
Oct 10, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Alexander Drtil, MD, PA
Dec 19, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Alexander Drtil, MD, PA
May 24, 2018 $2,415 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 14, 2018 $1,932 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 21, 2018 $1,932 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 14, 2018 $800 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Oct 11, 2018 $600 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 14, 2018 $600 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Oct 11, 2018 $600 ALLURE CRT PACEMAKER Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 8, 2018 $600 CRT-DS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
May 10, 2018 $600 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 10, 2018 $600 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 17, 2018 $600 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Mar 8, 2018 $500 ICDS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Mar 8, 2018 $500 CRT-DS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 14, 2018 $500 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 21, 2018 $400 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jun 14, 2018 $400 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES
Jan 4, 2018 $400 ICDS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES HOUSTON ARRHYTHMIA ASSOCIATES

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/223859

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.