Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Piotr Sowa, M.D.
Gastroenterology · Orange, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Research-focused
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. Sowa 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. Sowa
Dr. Piotr Sowa is a gastroenterology specialist in Orange, CA, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sowa performed 1,300 Medicare services across 1,126 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sowa received a total of $49,959 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 37 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. The majority of payments are classified as research and scientific activities (grants and research funding). Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Sowa 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.
✓ 12 years in practice
▲ Top 23% volume in CA
$49,959 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,300
Medicare services
Top 23% in CA for gastroenterology
1,126
Unique beneficiaries
$102
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~108 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
168 | $53 | $2,208 |
| 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. |
145 | $107 | $274 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
130 | $80 | $2,494 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
125 | $210 | $2,579 |
| 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. |
120 | $79 | $188 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
86 | $69 | $179 |
| 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. |
60 | $140 | $412 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
55 | $6 | $65 |
| Endoscopic ultrasound of esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel An ultrasound exam of the esophagus, stomach, and/or upper small bowel performed using a flexible endoscope. |
46 | $127 | $1,278 |
| Endoscopic removal of bile or pancreatic duct stone A flexible endoscope is used to remove stones or debris from the bile or pancreatic ducts. |
46 | $77 | $2,050 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
44 | $55 | $240 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
42 | $8 | $15 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
29 | $99 | $274 |
| Endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle biopsy A procedure using an ultrasound-equipped endoscope to guide a needle for tissue sampling of the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel. |
25 | $184 | $1,483 |
| Pancreatic or bile duct stent insertion A flexible endoscope is used to place a stent into the pancreatic or bile duct to keep it open. |
24 | $378 | $2,608 |
| Balloon dilation of esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel, less than 3.0 cm A procedure using a flexible endoscope to widen a narrowed section of the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel with a balloon that is less than 3.0 cm in length. |
23 | $111 | $6,585 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
23 | $10 | $40 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
18 | $133 | $1,920 |
| Stool calprotectin level test A laboratory test that measures the level of calprotectin protein in a stool sample. This test is used to evaluate inflammation in the intestines. |
18 | $18 | $81 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
18 | $8 | $32 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
15 | $191 | $1,918 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
14 | $114 | $336 |
| Endoscopic removal of pancreatic or bile duct stent A flexible endoscope is used to remove a stent from the pancreatic or bile duct. This procedure accesses the ducts internally to extract the device. |
13 | $326 | $2,121 |
| Removal of large bowel tissue using flexible endoscope A procedure to remove tissue from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The endoscope allows the provider to access and excise the tissue directly. |
13 | $303 | $1,874 |
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.
6.2% high complexity
35.2% medium
58.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$49,959
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $8,327/year across 6 years
Top 7% in CA for gastroenterology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
16
Companies
37
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.
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$47,483 (95.0%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,476 (5.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$94
2023
$129
2021
$48,043
2020
$328
2019
$473
2018
$892
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Micro-tech Endoscopy USA, Inc.
$24
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$18
ABBVIE INC.
$18
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$17
Top 3 companies account for 64.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Cook Medical LLC
$47,790
CONMED Corporation
$799
AbbVie, Inc.
$452
Wilson Cook Medical Incorporated
$278
ERBE USA Inc
$142
Shire North American Group Inc
$125
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$124
AbbVie Inc.
$59
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$34
Micro-tech Endoscopy USA, Inc.
$33
Celgene Corporation
$29
Covidien LP
$25
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$18
ABBVIE INC.
$18
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$17
Olympus America Inc.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 98.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
CONMED GENERATORS · CONMED HEMOSTASIS · COOK MEDICAL BILIARY · COOK MEDICAL HEMOSTASIS · Cook Medical Evolution · Cook Medical Hemostasis · DAT Device · ENTYVIO · ERBE · EVIS EXERA lll COLONOVIDEOSCOPE · GATTEX · Hemospray · Humira · LINZESS · Lesion Hunter · Mavyret · PillCam · REBYOTA · RINVOQ · STELARA · XIFAXAN · ZEPOSIA
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 (95%) are classified as scientific/research, suggesting involvement in clinical studies, grants, or innovation-related work. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for gastroenterology in CA.
Geographic Context
Gastroenterologists within 10 mi
290
Per 100K population
9.2
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
0.0 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. Sowa is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% in CA), with research-focused industry engagement in the top 7% of CA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Sowa experienced with upper gi endoscopy with biopsy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sowa performed 168 upper gi endoscopy with biopsy 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. Sowa receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sowa received a total of $49,959 from 16 companies across 37 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. Sowa's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in Orange?
Dr. Sowa's average Medicare payment per service is $102. 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. Sowa) 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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