Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Donald St. Claire, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · E Palo Alto, CA
Practice pattern: Cardiac & Electrophysiology
— Practice combining cardiac and electrophysiology services
Low-engagement
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. St. Claire 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. St. Claire
Dr. Donald St. Claire is a cardiovascular disease specialist in E Palo Alto, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. St. Claire performed 6,015 Medicare services across 4,439 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. St. Claire received a total of $613 from 12 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 18 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. St. Claire 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 14% volume in CA
$613 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗6,015
Medicare services
Top 14% in CA for cardiovascular disease
4,439
Unique beneficiaries
$123
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~317 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
1,180 | $13 | $83 |
| 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. |
837 | $161 | $489 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
502 | $186 | $881 |
| 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. |
412 | $114 | $364 |
| 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. |
403 | $194 | $1,171 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
344 | $42 | $150 |
| 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. |
274 | $106 | $365 |
| 3D radiographic procedure A radiographic imaging technique that creates three-dimensional representations of internal structures. |
162 | $25 | $337 |
| Rubidium rb-82, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 60 millicuries | 156 | $417 | $865 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
140 | $3 | $11 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
135 | $16 | $69 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
112 | $75 | $303 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
107 | $23 | $101 |
| 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. |
106 | $12 | $63 |
| Stress echocardiogram with ECG monitoring An ultrasound of the heart performed while monitoring heart rhythm during rest, exercise, or medication-induced stress, followed by a review and report of the findings. |
92 | $224 | $1,082 |
| 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. |
87 | $11 | $216 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle while at rest and during stress. |
78 | $1,548 | $9,059 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
71 | $94 | $531 |
| Heart ultrasound interpretation and report A professional review and written report of an ultrasound image of the heart. |
69 | $78 | $445 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 64 | $193 | $725 |
| 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. |
63 | $68 | $351 |
| 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. |
61 | $149 | $704 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 48 hours to 7 days This procedure involves recording the heart's electrical activity continuously using an external device for a period exceeding 48 hours but not more than 7 days. |
50 | $12 | $62 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
50 | $21 | $91 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 41 | $204 | $697 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin used for imaging studies. |
40 | $76 | $334 |
| Heart muscle strain imaging | 37 | $39 | $187 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
36 | $93 | $987 |
| 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. |
33 | $441 | $1,782 |
| 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. |
29 | $152 | $554 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
28 | $77 | $247 |
| Ultrasound of heart blood vessel or graft An ultrasound exam to evaluate blood flow in a heart blood vessel or graft, including a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
27 | $80 | $498 |
| Intravascular ultrasound of heart vessel, initial An ultrasound procedure used to evaluate a blood vessel within the heart during a diagnostic or treatment procedure. |
26 | $62 | $154 |
| Evaluation of implantable heart and blood vessel monitoring system This procedure involves checking the function and data of an implanted device used to monitor heart and blood vessel activity. |
22 | $46 | $132 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
22 | $23 | $126 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts A complete ultrasound exam of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize these blood vessels. |
20 | $166 | $889 |
| Hospital discharge management, 30+ min This service covers the care provided by a physician or qualified healthcare professional on the day a patient is discharged from the hospital. It requires more than 30 minutes of total time spent on the day of discharge. |
17 | $105 | $378 |
| 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. |
15 | $12 | $77 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
15 | $19 | $74 |
| Coronary angiography A procedure to insert a tube into a coronary artery to capture diagnostic images of the heart's blood vessels. |
14 | $123 | $603 |
| 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. |
13 | $633 | $2,537 |
| 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. |
13 | $460 | $2,562 |
| Additional heart vessel ultrasound evaluation An ultrasound evaluation of an additional heart blood vessel performed during a diagnostic or treatment procedure. |
12 | $44 | $163 |
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.
14.6% high complexity
24.1% medium
61.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$613
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $88/year across 7 years
Bottom 27% in CA for cardiovascular disease
12
Companies
18
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.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$613 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$26
2023
$18
2022
$240
2021
$28
2020
$24
2019
$120
2018
$156
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$26
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$217
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$130
Boston Scientific Corporation
$31
Amgen Inc.
$31
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$30
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$30
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$28
Medtronic, Inc.
$26
ABIOMED
$24
Abbott Laboratories
$24
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$23
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 61.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Corlanor · ENTRESTO · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · FUROSCIX · IGT_D Peripheral · Impella · Mitra Clip system · ONYX FRONTIER · Optimizer · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · WATCHMAN · XARELTO
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 →
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
252
Per 100K population
13.2
County median income
$159,674
Nearest hospital
STANFORD HEALTH CARE
4.1 mi
4.1 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. St. Claire is a cardiac & electrophysiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. St. Claire experienced with electrocardiogram (ekg), 12-lead?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. St. Claire performed 1,180 electrocardiogram (ekg), 12-lead 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. St. Claire receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. St. Claire received a total of $613 from 12 companies across 18 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. St. Claire's costs compare to other cardiologists in E Palo Alto?
Dr. St. Claire's average Medicare payment per service is $123. 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. St. Claire) 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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