Industry Payments Among Oculofacial Plastic Surgeons: An Open Payments Database Analysis

This study aims to investigate the distribution of payments made to oculofacial plastic surgeons who are members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, and examine the regularity of financial relationships between industries and oculofacial plastic surgeons.

This analysis included all American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons fellow members listed in the online directory. Annual statistical data were obtained from the Open Payments Database, and all general payments distributed to oculoplastic surgeons were recorded. Data are summarized by company and amounts distributed to the member. The main outcome is the cumulative payments made by the highest 3 individual industry companies to oculoplastic surgeons using data available from 2021 to 2023. Secondary outcomes looked at payments to leadership positions within the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

Six hundred twenty-seven surgeons received $13,069,190.03 over 6,831 payments. The average payment was $1,913.22, while the median payment was $117.12. The top 10 companies contributed a total of $11,540,952.07 (88.3%) of payments while the top 20 surgeons were paid $9,210,203.88 (70.5%) of all contributions. The top 3 companies contributed $9,088,333.48 (69.5%) of payments. In the $10,000 to $99,999 category, Horizon contributed $2,145,840.48 to 69 surgeons, while Galderma and Allergan contributed $113,355.12 to 3 surgeons and $298,972.96 to 11 surgeons, respectively. Between $1,000 and $9,999, Horizon made payments totaling $298,331.84 to 80 surgeons, Galderma contributed $24,289.64 to 7 surgeons, and Allergan contributed $72,768.35 to 27 surgeons. Fifty-six program directors took part in training fellows in oculofacial plastic surgery. The total payment volume for odd-year programs was $2,549,997.64 with an average of $87,930.95 and median of $6,841.28. The total for even-year programs was $1,511,807.29 with an average and a median of $55,992.86 and $1,326.70, respectively. Thirty-three members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons' current or past 10-year executive committee/board of directors were paid $3,975,434.02, with an average payment of $120,467.70 and a median payment of $3,706.88.

The reporting of open payments to providers is important in providing transparency between physicians and industry. There exists a great discrepancy in the distribution of industry payment within oculofacial plastics, showing a very strong apical dominance with relatively few surgeons receiving a higher number of payments, larger total reimbursements, and from relatively few companies.