Medtronic to disclose gifts to healthcare groups

I realize that we are in a "what can you do for me society." But really, do we need to encourage
people to take kickbacks? I just can't believe that people would continue to receive renumeration for doing what their already supposed to be doing.

Maybe pharma and device companies should also post the names of physicians, hospitals, etc that hold them hostage by demanding donations and support for their various interests in order to get a shot at the business. The world needs to know this isn't all about vendors offering inducement for business, it is about those medical professional customers, be it a hospital, clinic, physician, etc, that demand something...lunch for their office or staff, tickets to a game, a trip, or $$, for access to their business, because they are the primary drivers of this behavior

Sadly, during the 17 years I served as Chief of Cardiology at a major East-coast cardiac center, I became aware of a plethora of sub-rosa arrangements between cardiologists the representatives of both Pharma and device manufacturers that can aptly be described as "prostitution." I can conservatively estimate that the total value of "consulting fees," lecture honoraria, participation in "roundtables," educational seminars, and excessive compensation for "No-Show" participation in "post-marketing surveillance studies" (minimal records were kept for patients receiving a drug or device by the physicians' nurses or secretaries)has resulted in "bribes" that would run into multiple milions of dollars.

Even more disconcerting is the shameless participation in such immoral, illegal inurements by our own hospital administrators, who not only
"looked the other way" or failed to intervene is these activities, but also "cooked the books" by reporting the cost of devices such as coronary and peripheral stents, pacemakers, defibrillators, and CRT devices to third part payers created that failed to include volume-related discounts and rewards for maintaining
targeted market share levels of these and other
high-cost items.

Such behavior is rampant throughout the US Healthcare system. Sadly, decisions regarding patient care are increasingly being made by formerly-respected physicians who continue to devolve into double-dipping, self-serving whores.

I have recently been relieved of my position as
Cardiology Chief and no longer practice medicine.

The Wizard