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/333311
  • 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/333311
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.


SCOTT ROBERTSON

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
9060 HARMONY DR, STE E, MIDWEST CITY, OK, 73130-6218

2018 Payments: At a Glance

23

payments

$47,937

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
7 $46,826
Travel and Lodging
4 $785
Food and Beverage
12 $326

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
SHORELINE

device

$30,765
ASPIDA PLALTES & SCREW

device

$16,392
BRIDGEPOINT

device

$16,392
SOLUS

device

$16,392
MARINER

device

$871
SIERRA

device

$417
NANOMETALENE TECHNOLOGY

device

$331
RAPID

device

$331
ATOLL

device

$86
O-ARM-SPINE

device

$74
VAULT C

device

$27
TROKENDI XR

drug

$25
LYRICA

drug

$23
OXTELLAR XR

drug

$22
ARTEMIS

device

$20
VIVIGEN

device

$14
O-ARM-ST

device

$13
GLIADEL

drug

$12
GRAVITY

device

$11
† 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
May 2, 2018 $12,744 SHORELINE Royalty or License SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Oct 29, 2018 $10,158 SHORELINE Royalty or License SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Jul 18, 2018 $7,533 SHORELINE Royalty or License SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
May 30, 2018 $4,188 ASPIDA PLALTES & SCREW BRIDGEPOINT SOLUS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 27, 2018 $4,100 SOLUS BRIDGEPOINT ASPIDA PLALTES & SCREW Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Aug 27, 2018 $4,079 SOLUS BRIDGEPOINT ASPIDA PLALTES & SCREW Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Feb 27, 2018 $4,025 ASPIDA PLALTES & SCREW BRIDGEPOINT SOLUS Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Feb 27, 2018 $454 MARINER Travel and Lodging SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 4, 2018 $126 RAPID MARINER NANOMETALENE TECHNOLOGY SHORELINE SIERRA Travel and Lodging SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 5, 2018 $120 RAPID SIERRA SHORELINE MARINER NANOMETALENE TECHNOLOGY Travel and Lodging SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 5, 2018 $85 MARINER RAPID NANOMETALENE TECHNOLOGY SIERRA SHORELINE Travel and Lodging SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
May 24, 2018 $74 O-ARM-SPINE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 3, 2018 $48 SIERRA MARINER ATOLL Food and Beverage SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 3, 2018 $38 SIERRA ATOLL MARINER Food and Beverage SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
Mar 21, 2018 $27 VAULT C Food and Beverage PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Apr 28, 2018 $25 TROKENDI XR Food and Beverage SUPERNUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $23 LYRICA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Jan 13, 2018 $22 OXTELLAR XR Food and Beverage SUPERNUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $20 ARTEMIS Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
May 21, 2018 $14 VIVIGEN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES 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/333311

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.