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/922602
  • 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/922602
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.

THOMAS FISHLER

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Trauma
3126 N CIVIC CENTER PLZ, SCOTTSDALE, AZ, 85251-6912

2018 Payments: At a Glance

44

payments

$2,509

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 42 $2,063
Travel and Lodging
 2 $446

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†
BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM

device

 $574
EVOS

device

 $327
APTUS

device

 $289
TRIGEN INTERTAN

device

 $187
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $183
PROLIA

drug

 $148
CONQUEST FN

device

 $140
TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME

device

 $140
TFN ADVANCED

device

 $136
FORTEO

drug

 $134
ACTIS

device

 $120
CORAIL

device

 $120
DELTA

device

 $120
GLOBAL

device

 $120
BONE DRILLS

device

 $103
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $97
NOVATION

device

 $86
PHYSIO-STIM

drug

 $65
EX NAILS

device

 $33
LIFEVEST

device

 $31
† 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/922602

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 29, 2018 $408 BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
May 14, 2018 $183 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 16, 2018 $150 APTUS Food and Beverage MEDARTIS INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $140 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME CONQUEST FN EVOS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 26, 2018 $139 APTUS Food and Beverage MEDARTIS INC.
Aug 7, 2018 $130 EVOS TRIGEN INTERTAN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $125 TFN ADVANCED Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $120 ACTIS CORAIL DELTA GLOBAL Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $116 PROLIA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $103 BONE DRILLS Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 2, 2018 $99 FORTEO Food and Beverage LILLY USA, LLC
Dec 12, 2018 $97 IFUSE IMPLANT Food and Beverage SI-BONE, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $86 NOVATION Food and Beverage EXACTECH, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $66 BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $61 BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jan 18, 2018 $57 EVOS TRIGEN INTERTAN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $38 BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $33 EX NAILS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
May 9, 2018 $31 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Jan 18, 2018 $31 TRIGEN FEMORAL (FAN/TAN/META NAIL) Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, 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/922602

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.