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/678274
  • 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/678274
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.

BRETT ATWATER

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
40 DUKE MEDICINE CIR, DURHAM, NC, 27710-4000

2018 Payments: At a Glance

113

payments

$83,449

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 15 $33,450
Promotional Speaking/Other
 13 $31,702
Travel and Lodging
 36 $12,717
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $3,000
Food and Beverage
 47 $2,580

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

 $48,738
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $11,772
CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH ONLY

device

 $7,600
CLARIA MRI

device

 $3,595
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $2,800
ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $2,400
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $2,200
INSYNC

device

 $959
NANOSTIM LEADLEAS PACEMAKER

device

 $809
ARCTIC FRONT

device

 $768
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $617
NO ASSOCIATED PRODUCT

device

 $400
SELECTSECURE

device

 $138
MICRA

device

 $125
EVERA

device

 $123
GENERAL EP

device

 $114
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $105
DELIVERY SYSTEMS

device

 $61
AZURE

device

 $56
ADVISA

device

 $15
† 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/678274

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 19, 2018 $5,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $5,300 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $5,075 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $3,850 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $3,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $3,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $3,200 CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH ONLY Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 24, 2018 $2,625 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 10, 2018 $2,415 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $2,400 ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 4, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $2,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 13, 2018 $2,000 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 3, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $1,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 23, 2018 $1,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $1,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $1,600 CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH ONLY Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/678274

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.