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/95020
  • 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/95020
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.

IRAKLI GIORGBERIDZE

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
6550 FANNIN ST, SUITE 1723, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-2717

2018 Payments: At a Glance

110

payments

$5,958

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 108 $4,839
Travel and Lodging
 2 $1,118

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

 $1,466
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $664
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $551
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $448
CRT-DS

device

 $355
ACCENT PACEMAKER

device

 $309
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $297
CLARIA MRI

device

 $245
PERCEPTA

device

 $235
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $217
QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR

device

 $175
EVERA

device

 $164
SELECTSECURE

device

 $155
ALLURE CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $113
PACEMAKERS

device

 $96
ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $87
UNIFY ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $84
MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE

device

 $76
MRI READY LEADS

device

 $54
MICRA

device

 $39
† 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/95020

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 30, 2018 $691 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 1, 2018 $427 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $284 CRT-DS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 2, 2018 $176 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Sep 5, 2018 $175 QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 23, 2018 $174 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 23, 2018 $173 ACCENT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 4, 2018 $170 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 26, 2018 $169 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 25, 2018 $168 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 5, 2018 $164 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 20, 2018 $164 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 27, 2018 $163 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 27, 2018 $163 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 21, 2018 $155 CLARIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $154 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 18, 2018 $126 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 19, 2018 $119 SELECTSECURE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 1, 2018 $112 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $103 ACCENT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage 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/95020

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.