Open Payments Data: Review of Accuracy, Precision, and Consistency in Reporting

The Open Payments program promotes transparency by making available to the public the financial relationships that physicians and teaching hospitals have with applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations. Although these financial relationships may provide important opportunities to increase medical research and enhance medical knowledge, they also can raise concerns because of their potential to influence the decision-making of health care providers. The transparency of the Open Payments program reveals the nature and extent of these relationships and has the potential to discourage the development of inappropriate financial relationships. However, the program can benefit the public only if the data reported are complete and accurate.