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/307045
  • 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/307045
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.

SAMUEL WILLIMON

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
5445 MERIDIAN MARKS RD NE STE 250, ATLANTA, GA, 30342-4767

2018 Payments: At a Glance

27

payments

$21,689

payment total

3

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $9,683
Travel and Lodging
 9 $8,539
Consulting
 2 $2,550
Food and Beverage
 13 $918

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†
AMBIENT HIPVAC

device

 $13,792
ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS

device

 $13,792
Q-FIX

device

 $3,805
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $3,200
HEALICOIL

device

 $2,247
BIORAPTOR

device

 $2,023
OSTEORAPTOR

device

 $2,023
SUTUREFIX

device

 $2,023
HIPSTRUMENTS

device

 $1,763
ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL

device

 $891
FIRSTPASS

device

 $850
FOOTPRINT

device

 $850
CLANCY ANATOMIC CRUCIATE GUIDE

device

 $397
ENDOBUTTON

device

 $397
COBLATION WANDS

device

 $252
TRUESPAN

device

 $19
VAPR

device

 $19
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 28, 2018 $7,040 ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS AMBIENT HIPVAC Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $5,000 ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS AMBIENT HIPVAC Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 2, 2018 $1,700 No Listed Product Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $1,569 BIORAPTOR HEALICOIL OSTEORAPTOR Q-FIX SUTUREFIX Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $1,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ARTHREX, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $1,143 ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS AMBIENT HIPVAC Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $891 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL HIPSTRUMENTS Q-FIX Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $850 HIPSTRUMENTS Q-FIX FIRSTPASS FOOTPRINT Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 9, 2018 $397 CLANCY ANATOMIC CRUCIATE GUIDE ENDOBUTTON Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 11, 2018 $378 ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS AMBIENT HIPVAC Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 11, 2018 $140 BIORAPTOR HEALICOIL OSTEORAPTOR Q-FIX SUTUREFIX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 14, 2018 $140 HEALICOIL Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $138 COBLATION WANDS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 11, 2018 $127 ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS AMBIENT HIPVAC Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $124 BIORAPTOR HEALICOIL OSTEORAPTOR Q-FIX SUTUREFIX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $93 BIORAPTOR HEALICOIL OSTEORAPTOR Q-FIX SUTUREFIX Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $84 HEALICOIL Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $75 COBLATION WANDS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 11, 2018 $65 BIORAPTOR HEALICOIL OSTEORAPTOR Q-FIX SUTUREFIX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $39 COBLATION WANDS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, 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/307045

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.