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/276327
  • 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/276327
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.

HANBING ZHOU

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
55 LAKE AVE N, WORCESTER, MA, 01655-0002

2018 Payments: At a Glance

50

payments

$7,518

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 16 $5,475
Food and Beverage
 34 $2,043

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†
MAZORX - RENAISSANCE

device

 $1,622
ES2

device

 $1,144
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $1,060
TRITANIUM

device

 $911
XIA

device

 $911
CALIBER

device

 $908
SERRATO

device

 $834
XLIF

device

 $719
AERO

device

 $510
SPINAL IMPLANTS

device

 $497
ALTERA

device

 $435
ARIA

device

 $401
VIPER

device

 $243
TRESTLE

device

 $188
SYNAPSE

device

 $120
TPAL

device

 $120
ZEVO

device

 $91
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $67
SYNFIX

device

 $49
POSTERIOR FUSION

device

 $48
† 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/276327

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 17, 2018 $698 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 11, 2018 $653 XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
May 18, 2018 $640 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 10, 2018 $525 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $510 AERO ES2 XIA TRITANIUM SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 10, 2018 $474 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $435 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $401 ARIA XIA TRITANIUM ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
May 19, 2018 $257 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $248 SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
May 19, 2018 $200 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $188 TRESTLE Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Aug 18, 2018 $186 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $182 SPINAL IMPLANTS Travel and Lodging SPINE WAVE, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $142 ES2 Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 20, 2018 $140 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $120 TPAL VIPER SYNAPSE Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
May 18, 2018 $115 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $111 VIPER Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $98 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, 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/276327

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.