Understanding Cardiology Data on Sunlight Ledger

What Cardiologists Do

Cardiologists diagnose and treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Interventional cardiologists perform procedures inside the body — stenting blocked arteries, implanting pacemakers. Non-invasive cardiologists focus on diagnosis through imaging and stress testing. Electrophysiologists specialize in heart rhythm disorders.

Common Cardiology Procedures in Medicare Data

When reviewing a cardiologist's Medicare profile, you will commonly see:

  • Echocardiography — Ultrasound imaging of the heart, one of the most frequently billed cardiology procedures
  • Stress testing — Exercise or pharmacologic tests to evaluate blood flow
  • Cardiac catheterization — Invasive imaging of coronary arteries
  • Coronary stenting — Placement of a stent to open a blocked artery
  • Pacemaker implantation — Device implantation for heart rhythm management
  • Nuclear cardiology — Imaging using radioactive tracers to assess heart muscle

What Normal Volume Looks Like

A busy interventional cardiologist in a large practice may perform hundreds of catheterizations per year. A non-invasive cardiologist may bill primarily for echocardiograms and office visits, with total annual service counts in the thousands. Because cardiology skews older, Medicare data is generally representative of a cardiologist's actual practice volume.

Pharma and Device Payments in Cardiology

Cardiology has among the highest average industry payment levels of any specialty, driven primarily by medical device companies — manufacturers of stents, pacemakers, defibrillators, and heart valves. These companies pay cardiologists for consulting, training, and speaking. Research funding is also common given the volume of cardiology clinical trials.

A cardiologist with significant device company payments is not unusual, but understanding the relationship between their payment sources and the devices they implant is worthwhile context.

Questions to Ask Your Cardiologist

  • Which device or stent manufacturer do you have financial relationships with?
  • Is the device you're recommending the one with the best outcomes data for my condition, or the one you use most frequently?
  • How many of this procedure do you perform per year?
Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Industry payment disclosure alone establishes neither wrongdoing nor legality. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →