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/303041
  • 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/303041
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.

STELIOS REKKAS

Listed Specialty: Surgery
5317 4TH AVENUE CIR E, BRADENTON, FL, 34208-5623

2018 Payments: At a Glance

76

payments

$16,112

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Education
 2 $8,000
Travel and Lodging
 6 $3,567
Food and Beverage
 67 $3,045
Consulting
 1 $1,500

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†
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $9,016
ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER

device

 $1,862
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,823
3DMAX

device

 $1,293
1588 HD 3 CHIP CAMERA

device

 $757
XENMATRIX

device

 $484
LINX REFLUX MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $183
HARMONIC PRODUCT FAMILY

device

 $141
STRATAFIX

device

 $114
OFIRMEV

drug

 $108
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

device

 $83
PHASIX

device

 $56
ARTOURA BREAST TISSUE EXPANDER

device

 $45
MEMORYGEL BREAST IMPLANTS

device

 $45
ENDO GIA

device

 $37
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $34
ECHELON FLEX STAPLER

device

 $33
GATTEX

drug

 $29
STRATTICE

device

 $21
IDRIVE ULTRA

device

 $20
† 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/303041

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 25, 2018 $4,000 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $4,000 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $1,500 No Listed Product Consulting DAVOL INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $985 3DMAX Travel and Lodging DAVOL INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $757 1588 HD 3 CHIP CAMERA Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 14, 2018 $707 ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $576 ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $410 ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $201 3DMAX Food and Beverage DAVOL INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $150 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $150 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $149 XENMATRIX Food and Beverage DAVOL INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $147 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Nov 11, 2018 $136 No Listed Product Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Feb 25, 2018 $136 XENMATRIX Food and Beverage DAVOL INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $132 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DAVOL INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $118 LINX REFLUX MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ETHICON US, LLC
Sep 14, 2018 $116 ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $111 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $107 3DMAX Food and Beverage DAVOL 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/303041

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.