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/260764
  • 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/260764
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.

LARRY SPROUSE

Listed Specialty: Surgery
2108 E 3RD ST, SUITE 200, CHATTANOOGA, TN, 37404-2600

2018 Payments: At a Glance

56

payments

$8,149

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 52 $3,059
Consulting
 1 $3,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $1,250
Travel and Lodging
 2 $840

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†
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $3,047
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $1,250
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $1,174
ENDURANT

device

 $890
HAWKONE

device

 $559
AFX

device

 $282
OVATION

device

 $282
INNOVA

device

 $162
ARCHIVING HW PROJECT

device

 $152
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $122
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $121
INDIGO

device

 $80
GENERAL ANGIOPLASTY

device

 $72
IGT EQUIP UNDIV

device

 $58
CVX-300

device

 $45
WORKSTATION

device

 $40
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $23
GENERAL METALLIC STENTS

device

 $20
BLUE HEART - SCM

device

 $18
CONQUEST

device

 $18
† 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/260764

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 7, 2018 $3,000 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 12, 2018 $1,250 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. University Surgical Associates
Feb 24, 2018 $810 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 25, 2018 $334 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jul 25, 2018 $282 OVATION AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $163 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 18, 2018 $158 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 17, 2018 $141 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $123 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $121 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Sep 6, 2018 $110 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $100 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 28, 2018 $93 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $88 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 15, 2018 $87 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $85 INNOVA Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 27, 2018 $83 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $80 INDIGO Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Jun 4, 2018 $72 GENERAL ANGIOPLASTY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 21, 2018 $58 IGT EQUIP UNDIV Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION

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/260764

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.