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/508800
  • 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/508800
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.


CYNTHIA SHORTELL

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
40 DUKE MEDICINE CIR, DURHAM, NC, 27710-4000

2018 Payments: At a Glance

40

payments

$2,843

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
39 $2,593
Consulting
1 $250

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
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$1,324
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

$250
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$223
FLEXITOUCH

device

$163
ACTITOUCH

device

$163
ENTRE

device

$163
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH PROPATEN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

$162
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$161
EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

$118
XARELTO

drug

$114
EMBOSHIELD NAV6 SYSTEM

device

$101
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

$93
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

$79
APTUS HELI-FX

device

$17
C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

$12
PROPATEN VASCULAR GRAFT

device

$6
HYBRID VASCULAR GRAFT

device

$3
ACUSEAL VASCULAR GRAFT

device

$3
TIGRIS STENT

device

$3
VASCULAR GRAFT

device

$3
† 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/508800

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 19, 2018 $375 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $359 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jan 17, 2018 $298 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $250 PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $203 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $187 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $163 FLEXITOUCH ACTITOUCH ENTRE Food and Beverage TACTILE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY INC
Feb 13, 2018 $162 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH PROPATEN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $161 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $114 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 28, 2018 $101 EMBOSHIELD NAV6 SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 18, 2018 $93 COOK MEDICAL AAA Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jun 20, 2018 $91 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 8, 2018 $84 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $79 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jan 21, 2018 $27 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $17 APTUS HELI-FX Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $11 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $6 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $3 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, 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/508800

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.