Docs concerned about gift disclosure rules, survey finds

By Elise Viebeck - 02/04/13 12:16 PM ET

Sixty-three percent of doctors are concerned that President Obama's healthcare law will create a publicly accessible database of industry payments to physicians, according to a new survey.

Tech firm MMIS Inc. reported Monday that more than half of doctors were unaware of the so-called "Sunshine Act," written by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and former Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), to expose financial relationships between medical practitioners and industry players.

After a long delay, federal health officials released final rules for the law on Friday. Data collection will begin this fall, with the database launching next year, and payment categories will include consulting fees, honoraria, gifts, food, entertainment, travel and charitable contributions, among others.

The survey revealed that a majority of physicians receive some kind of benefit from industry in their workplace, including food and beverages (57 percent) and samples (54 percent). About half also participate in industry-sponsored programs, with one in 10 involved with either speaker bureaus or advisory boards.

If they are covered by any federal healthcare program, industry players will be required to report their payments and gifts to doctors.

The survey data suggest that government, industry and physicians groups have a long way to go to ensure smooth implementation of the law, said MMIS CEO Michaeline Daboul.

"[They] will need to increase communication in this new age of transparency, share data prior to public dissemination and provide a process for physicians and institutions to resolve disputes regarding incorrect or inaccurate information," Daboul said in a statement Monday.

On Friday, the American Medical Association withheld its judgement of the final rules pending further review. The group's president, Jeremy Lazarus, repeated his concern with ensuring physicians have an easy way to correct disclosure errors.

The MMIS poll reflects responses from more than 1,000 physicians between Jan. 17-18.