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/297695
  • 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/297695
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.


TRENT PROFFITT

Listed Specialty: Surgery
502 ELM ST NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM, 87102-2512

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$14,555

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
2 $9,750
Food and Beverage
54 $2,904
Travel and Lodging
6 $1,898
Education
3 $3

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

$5,367
JETSTREAM

device

$5,046
THERAPIES

device

$904
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$841
LUTONIX

device

$404
OVATION

device

$388
AFX

device

$229
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

$148
LIFESTENT

device

$145
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$134
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$125
IMPRA

device

$110
REGRANEX

drug

$108
INDIGO

device

$106
CONFIRM RX

device

$93
GENERAL ATHERECTOMY

device

$87
RESTOREFLO

device

$87
COOK MEDICAL CELECT PLATINUM

device

$68
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

$67
LIFEVEST

device

$66
† 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/297695

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 3, 2018 $4,875 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 21, 2018 $4,875 JETSTREAM Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 13, 2018 $562 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $494 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aug 14, 2018 $410 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 31, 2018 $178 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 3, 2018 $165 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 1, 2018 $164 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
May 16, 2018 $150 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $145 LIFESTENT Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $134 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $129 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $125 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $118 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $117 No Listed Product Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $110 IMPRA Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
May 10, 2018 $109 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 11, 2018 $108 REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 30, 2018 $106 INDIGO Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $97 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC 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/297695

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.