Improving Trust Between Patient And Physician

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A hallmark of the patient-physician relationship is trust, including trust that patients will be truthful with physicians about what ails them, as well as trust that physicians will make the best decisions for patients, irrespective of any competing interests.

This veil of secrecy began to lift in the late 2000s.

From 2009 through 2014, at least 11 pharmaceutical companies settled whistleblower lawsuits contending illegal marketing and kickbacks.

As part of the settlements, companies agreed to disclose payments to physicians for promotional speaking, consulting, and other services.

Companies began posting this information on their websites.

The Physician Payments Sunshine Act went into effect in 2010.

The law allows complete information to be shared. If your physician is getting payment you can look it up online