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/60003
  • 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/60003
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.

GEOFFREY VAN THIEL

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
324 ROXBURY RD, ROCKFORD, IL, 61107-5090

2018 Payments: At a Glance

68

payments

$37,915

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 11 $18,070
Consulting
 5 $8,869
Honoraria
 4 $5,100
Travel and Lodging
 12 $3,663
Food and Beverage
 36 $2,213

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†
ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL

device

 $11,614
MACI _ PEAK STUDY

drug

 $9,638
BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS

device

 $8,164
OSTEORAPTOR

device

 $8,164
SUTUREFIX

device

 $8,164
ACUFEX

device

 $6,769
ACCUFILL

device

 $4,637
ACCU-PASS

device

 $3,450
ACL REDUX

device

 $3,400
ACUFEX DIRECTOR

device

 $3,400
500 INSUFFLATOR

device

 $3,050
500XL LIGHT SOURCE

device

 $3,050
560P HIGH DEFINITION CAMERA SYSTEM

device

 $3,050
660HDE IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $3,050
660HD IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $3,050
FAST-FIX 360

device

 $1,860
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,551
MENISCAL ROOT REPAIR SYSTEM

device

 $1,015
FIRSTPASS MINI

device

 $875
REGENETEN

device

 $836
† 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/60003

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 11, 2018 $3,500 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Promotional Speaking/Other VERICEL CORPORATION
Jan 31, 2018 $3,369 ACUFEX Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 31, 2018 $2,450 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL ACL REDUX ACUFEX ACUFEX DIRECTOR ACCU-PASS Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $2,375 ACCUFILL Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 20, 2018 $2,200 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Honoraria VERICEL CORPORATION
Oct 5, 2018 $2,100 500XL LIGHT SOURCE 560P HIGH DEFINITION CAMERA SYSTEM 660HD IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 500 INSUFFLATOR 660HDE IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $1,800 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Honoraria VERICEL CORPORATION
Sep 26, 2018 $1,660 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $1,660 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $1,500 ACCUFILL Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $1,400 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $1,400 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $1,050 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $950 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL BIORAPTOR KNOTLESS OSTEORAPTOR SUTUREFIX Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $950 500XL LIGHT SOURCE 560P HIGH DEFINITION CAMERA SYSTEM 660HD IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 500 INSUFFLATOR 660HDE IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jan 31, 2018 $950 ACCUPASS DIRECT CRESCENT XL ACL REDUX ACUFEX ACUFEX DIRECTOR ACCU-PASS Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $875 FAST-FIX 360 MENISCAL ROOT REPAIR SYSTEM FIRSTPASS MINI Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $750 ACCUFILL Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $550 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Honoraria VERICEL CORPORATION
Dec 12, 2018 $550 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Honoraria VERICEL CORPORATION

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/60003

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.