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/90355
  • 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/90355
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.

ADAM ARTHUR

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
6325 HUMPHREYS BLVD, SEMMES-MURPHEY CLINIC, MEMPHIS, TN, 38120

2018 Payments: At a Glance

155

payments

$154,663

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 28 $126K
Travel and Lodging
 45 $24,576
Food and Beverage
 82 $3,917

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†
SURPASS

device

 $42,914
WEB

device

 $39,998
TRUFILL

device

 $18,365
PULSERIDER

device

 $18,098
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $17,105
DAC

device

 $11,200
TREVO

device

 $9,478
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $6,176
SOLITAIRE

device

 $3,142
APOLLO

device

 $3,000
LVIS

device

 $1,829
PHIL

device

 $815
SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER

device

 $751
CASPER

device

 $698
ERIC

device

 $698
NONE

device

 $506
SOFIA

device

 $306
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $217
ENTERPRISE 2

device

 $209
ENTERPRISE

device

 $160
† 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/90355

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 1, 2018 $18,098 PULSERIDER TRUFILL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC. Semmes Murphy Clnc
Feb 1, 2018 $11,200 DAC Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Dec 20, 2018 $9,900 SURPASS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Nov 28, 2018 $9,720 WEB Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $8,400 WEB Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
May 24, 2018 $7,929 TREVO Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Sep 25, 2018 $7,741 SURPASS Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 8, 2018 $7,200 WEB Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
Jan 18, 2018 $7,133 SURPASS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Oct 4, 2018 $7,133 SURPASS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Dec 21, 2018 $6,284 WEB Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $6,000 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Consulting PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Semmes-Murphey Clinic
Jul 26, 2018 $4,800 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Semmes-Murphey Clinic
Dec 20, 2018 $3,600 SURPASS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Apr 18, 2018 $3,149 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $3,000 APOLLO Consulting PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $2,960 SOLITAIRE Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Semmes-Murphey Clinic
Oct 11, 2018 $2,700 SURPASS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION SEMMES-MURPHY CLINIC
Apr 18, 2018 $1,800 WEB Consulting MICROVENTION, 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/90355

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.