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/84155
  • 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/84155
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.

VIKAS PATEL

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
12605 E 16TH AVE, AURORA, CO, 80045-2545

2018 Payments: At a Glance

48

payments

$44,304

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 4 $20,485
Royalty or License
 2 $9,925
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $8,350
Travel and Lodging
 14 $3,843
Food and Beverage
 27 $1,701

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†
SYNFIX

device

 $14,260
S4 ELEMENT SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $9,925
SURGICAL CARE - TISSEEL

drug

 $8,465
TISSEEL

drug

 $8,465
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

 $6,974
ARCADIUS C

device

 $6,974
ENNOVATE SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $6,974
EXPEDIUM

device

 $1,509
CALIBER

device

 $979
MOBI-C

device

 $600
FLOSEAL

drug

 $527
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $446
NEXGEN

device

 $300
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $141
M6-C

drug

 $120
CONFIDENCE

device

 $39
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

 $20
† 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
Nov 8, 2018 $13,335 SYNFIX Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 23, 2018 $8,350 SURGICAL CARE - TISSEEL TISSEEL Promotional Speaking/Other BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Jun 29, 2018 $6,250 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC ARCADIUS C ENNOVATE SPINAL SYSTEM Consulting AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Feb 2, 2018 $5,124 S4 ELEMENT SPINAL SYSTEM Royalty or License AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC University Physicians, Inc.
Aug 10, 2018 $4,801 S4 ELEMENT SPINAL SYSTEM Royalty or License AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC University Physicians, Inc.
Nov 8, 2018 $605 SYNFIX Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $600 MOBI-C Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $495 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $417 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $331 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $308 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC ARCADIUS C ENNOVATE SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Mar 1, 2018 $300 NEXGEN Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $290 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 31, 2018 $288 FLOSEAL Travel and Lodging BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Aug 17, 2018 $285 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $199 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $194 SYNFIX Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $177 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC ARCADIUS C ENNOVATE SPINAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Mar 6, 2018 $131 IFUSE IMPLANT Food and Beverage SI-BONE, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $127 IFUSE IMPLANT Food and Beverage SI-BONE, 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/84155

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.