Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Ajay Patel, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · Bakersfield, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Patel from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Patel
Dr. Ajay Patel is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Bakersfield, CA, with 14 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Patel performed 5,948 Medicare services across 4,214 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Patel received a total of $127,736 from 44 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 706 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Patel is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 14 years in practice
▲ Top 14% volume in CA
$127,736 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,948
Medicare services
Top 14% in CA for cardiovascular disease
4,214
Unique beneficiaries
$71
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~425 Medicare services per year of practice
Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
1,580 | $6 | $116 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
1,140 | $90 | $275 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
701 | $11 | $57 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
263 | $43 | $105 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
173 | $48 | $250 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
151 | $137 | $400 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
133 | $96 | $275 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
129 | $18 | $95 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
119 | $50 | $292 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
100 | $21 | $90 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
99 | $144 | $700 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
93 | $10 | $30 |
| Normal saline infusion, 1000 cc Administration of 1000 cc of normal saline solution into a vein. This procedure involves the intravenous delivery of a sterile saltwater solution. |
92 | $2 | $3 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
89 | $19 | $75 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
87 | $11 | $40 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
86 | $364 | $975 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
76 | $2 | $10 |
| Aortography with contrast and radiologist review An imaging procedure using contrast dye to visualize the aorta above the heart valve, including professional review by a radiologist. |
70 | $28 | $120 |
| Rubidium rb-82, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 60 millicuries | 70 | $408 | $1,200 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 65 | $166 | $800 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
54 | $93 | $250 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
45 | $716 | $1,800 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
38 | $14 | $56 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
37 | $20 | $79 |
| Follow-up ultrasound of heart blood flow, valves and chambers An ultrasound exam that follows up on the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. It uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and function. |
37 | $6 | $23 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
36 | $85 | $338 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
36 | $131 | $350 |
| Nuclear stress test with CT scan A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow in the heart muscle at rest and during stress, performed alongside a concurrent CT scan. |
35 | $1,545 | $4,500 |
| PET scan of heart muscle blood flow A nuclear medicine imaging test that uses positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate blood flow within the heart muscle. |
35 | $111 | $361 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
33 | $63 | $165 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
30 | $28 | $170 |
| Electrocardiogram, 1-3 leads with physician review A heart rhythm test using one to three electrodes to record electrical activity, with interpretation by a physician. |
27 | $10 | $36 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
26 | $374 | $1,450 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
23 | $121 | $375 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
21 | $144 | $525 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 20 | $255 | $975 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
17 | $197 | $500 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 17 | $152 | $475 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
15 | $155 | $500 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 8-15 days This procedure involves recording heart rhythm continuously using an external EKG device over a period of 8 to 15 days. |
13 | $10 | $40 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
13 | $21 | $70 |
| Transcatheter aortic valve replacement via femoral artery A minimally invasive procedure to replace a diseased aortic heart valve using a catheter inserted through the skin and femoral artery. |
12 | $550 | $3,500 |
| Nuclear medicine heart pumping function test A nuclear medicine study that labels red blood cells to measure the volume of blood ejected from the heart with each beat over multiple cycles. |
12 | $150 | $550 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
11.1% high complexity
16.4% medium
72.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$127,736
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $18,248/year across 7 years
Top 5% in CA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
44
Companies
706
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$95,140 (74.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$32,596 (25.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$55,512
2023
$42,689
2022
$20,138
2021
$2,336
2020
$2,295
2019
$3,350
2018
$1,417
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABIOMED
$32,487
Medtronic, Inc.
$9,103
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$6,898
ATRICURE, INC.
$2,459
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$1,748
Abbott Laboratories
$1,617
Amgen Inc.
$269
Boston Scientific Corporation
$167
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$137
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$110
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$95
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$73
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$71
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$62
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$59
CVRx, Inc.
$54
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$30
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$30
PFIZER INC.
$25
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$19
Top 3 companies account for 87.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
ABIOMED
$72,663
Medtronic, Inc.
$10,896
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$9,432
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$7,219
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$6,955
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$3,486
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$3,231
Abbott Laboratories
$3,128
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,772
ATRICURE, INC.
$2,497
Amgen Inc.
$1,404
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$762
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$653
CVRx, Inc.
$334
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$331
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$249
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$210
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$160
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$131
Inari Medical, Inc.
$117
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$115
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$99
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$94
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$93
PFIZER INC.
$89
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$71
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$70
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$65
CardioFocus, Inc.
$57
Novo Nordisk Inc
$40
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$36
Acist Medical Systems, Inc.
$32
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$30
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$30
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$30
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$26
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
Bracco Diagnostics Inc.
$20
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$20
Arrow International, Inc.
$17
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$13
Penumbra, Inc.
$12
BIOTRONIK INC.
$11
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$11
Top 3 companies account for 72.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(6585) Omniwire · 3F · ALPHAVAC · AMPLATZER TALISMAN · ANGIOVAC · ASSURITY · ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM · AVEIR · AZURE XT DR MRI SURESCAN · Adempas · Arcalyst · Assure WCD · Assurity Pacemaker · BRILINTA · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CARDIOMEMS · CHANTIX · CONFIDA · CONTOUR 3D · COREVALVE EVOLUT R · COROFLOW · CVI Systems · Cardiogen-82 · Catheter - Specialty Access · Confirm Rx · CoreValve Evolut · Corlanor · Da Vinci Surgical System · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · EPIC · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · Ellipse ICD · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FUROSCIX · Fortify Assura · GALLANT · GENERAL THERAPIES · HeartLight System · INSPIRE · Impella · Indigo System · Inpefa · JARDIANCE · JOT DX · KENGREAL · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINQ II · LUX DX · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · Legacy · LifeVest · MERLIN@HOME · MICRA · MITRACLIP · Micra · Mitra Clip system · NEXLETOL · NUVISION ICE CATHETER · ONYX FRONTIER · PRALUENT · Quadra Assura CRT Defibrillator · RESOLUTE ONYX · Repatha · Resolute · S · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · SYNERGY · SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · VERQUVO · WATCHMAN · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
The majority of payments (74%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in cardiovascular disease and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 5% for cardiovascular disease in CA.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
30
Per 100K population
3.3
County median income
$67,660
Nearest hospital
BAKERSFIELD BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE HOSPITAL, LLC
4.6 mi
4.6 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Patel is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 5% of CA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Patel experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Patel performed 1,580 ekg interpretation and report services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Patel receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Patel received a total of $127,736 from 44 companies across 706 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Patel's costs compare to other cardiologists in Bakersfield?
Dr. Patel's average Medicare payment per service is $71. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Patel) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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