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/48414
  • 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/48414
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.

ALEX GITELMAN

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
1281 E MAIN ST, STAMFORD, CT, 06902-3544

2018 Payments: At a Glance

61

payments

$11,083

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 9 $5,776
Food and Beverage
 50 $2,807
Consulting
 2 $2,500

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $3,714
POCT SYSTEM

device

 $2,500
NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW

device

 $1,711
TETRAFUSE

device

 $1,020
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $356
DBM

device

 $237
SERRATO

device

 $234
BIO4

device

 $226
TRITANIUM

device

 $226
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $220
LESSRAY

device

 $167
VAULT C

device

 $139
AERO

device

 $135
AVIATOR

device

 $135
PULSE

device

 $132
VITOSS

device

 $130
ELIQUIS

drug

 $115
HIPSTRUMENTS

device

 $108
VISIONAIRE CUTTING GUIDES

device

 $108
ALIF PLATE

device

 $91
† 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/48414

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 14, 2018 $3,580 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CTL MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jul 5, 2018 $2,000 POCT SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $700 TETRAFUSE Travel and Lodging RTI SURGICAL, INC.
Jul 5, 2018 $500 POCT SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $386 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $345 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $320 TETRAFUSE Food and Beverage RTI SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $261 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $251 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $177 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Food and Beverage LIFE SPINE, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $155 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Food and Beverage LIFE SPINE, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $148 DBM SERRATO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 7, 2018 $139 VAULT C Food and Beverage PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $135 AVIATOR AERO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 2, 2018 $132 PULSE LESSRAY Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $129 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Travel and Lodging LIFE SPINE, INC.
May 30, 2018 $115 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Apr 24, 2018 $112 NAUTILUS, PROLIFT, TIBOW Food and Beverage LIFE SPINE, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $108 VISIONAIRE CUTTING GUIDES HIPSTRUMENTS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 11, 2018 $96 No Listed Product Food and Beverage GS SOLUTIONS, 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/48414

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.