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/264173
  • 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/264173
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.


JOHN ALDRIDGE

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
730 THIMBLE SHOALS BLVD, SUITE 130, NEWPORT NEWS, VA, 23606-4562

2018 Payments: At a Glance

52

payments

$12,509

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
17 $5,591
Royalty or License
5 $4,835
Food and Beverage
30 $2,083

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
NOVATION

device

$4,967
EQUINOXE

device

$4,191
MPO HIP SYSTEM

device

$1,448
JOURNEY II BCS

device

$799
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$478
MPO MEDIAL PIVOT KNEE

device

$174
DISTAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE

device

$147
OLECRENON LOCKING PLATE

device

$147
PROXIMAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE

device

$147
NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$138
VISIONAIRE SOLUTIONS

device

$138
JOURNEY II XR

device

$113
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

$57
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

$37
TRUESPAN

device

$30
TWISTR

device

$30
HYALGAN

device

$15
HYMOVIS

device

$15
PERFORM GLENOID

device

$14
RESTORATION

device

$14
† 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/264173

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 2, 2018 $1,569 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Feb 28, 2018 $1,141 NOVATION Royalty or License EXACTECH, INC.
May 31, 2018 $1,024 NOVATION Royalty or License EXACTECH, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $930 NOVATION Royalty or License EXACTECH, INC.
Aug 30, 2018 $885 NOVATION Royalty or License EXACTECH, INC.
Dec 31, 2018 $855 NOVATION Royalty or License EXACTECH, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $752 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Feb 27, 2018 $508 MPO HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS INC
Aug 2, 2018 $482 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $463 No Listed Product Food and Beverage 7D SURGICAL INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $453 JOURNEY II BCS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $422 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $332 EQUINOXE Food and Beverage EXACTECH, INC.
May 3, 2018 $320 EQUINOXE Travel and Lodging EXACTECH, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $260 MPO HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS INC
Apr 21, 2018 $237 MPO HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS INC
Feb 27, 2018 $209 MPO HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS INC
Feb 4, 2018 $208 JOURNEY II BCS Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 3, 2018 $175 EQUINOXE Food and Beverage EXACTECH, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $147 OLECRENON LOCKING PLATE PROXIMAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE DISTAL HUMERUS LOCKING PLATE Food and Beverage BIEDERMANN MOTECH, INC. Schlesinger's Steakhouse

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/264173

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.