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/268154
  • 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/268154
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.

WILLIAM BRINKMAN

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
4708 ALLIANCE BLVD, SUITE 700, PAVILLION 1, PLANO, TX, 75093-5340

2018 Payments: At a Glance

95

payments

$39,395

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $14,250
Travel and Lodging
 27 $12,599
Consulting
 2 $6,250
Food and Beverage
 62 $4,546
Honoraria
 1 $1,750

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

 $15,940
VALIANT CAPTIVIA

device

 $8,501
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

 $5,942
CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,853
EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,384
MOSAIC

device

 $1,078
RELAY

device

 $909
RELAY PLUS

device

 $846
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $579
APTUS HELI-FX

device

 $534
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $447
C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

 $354
TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $315
ENDURANT

device

 $279
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $143
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM

device

 $104
EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM

device

 $91
ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $43
STERNALOCK BLU

device

 $36
BIOPROSTHETIC MITRAL VALVE

device

 $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/268154

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 4, 2018 $6,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 8, 2018 $4,125 VALIANT CAPTIVIA Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $4,125 VALIANT CAPTIVIA Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 10, 2018 $3,688 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jul 9, 2018 $3,500 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $2,750 No Listed Product Consulting EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jan 23, 2018 $1,750 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. BRYN MAWR COMMUNICATIONS LLC
Nov 12, 2018 $923 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $922 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $859 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 15, 2018 $622 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Nov 2, 2018 $579 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $555 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jan 19, 2018 $493 RELAY Travel and Lodging BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Nov 12, 2018 $461 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $388 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $341 RELAY Travel and Lodging BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Aug 14, 2018 $334 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $331 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $311 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging 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/268154

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.