Dr. Robert Ruth, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Ruth
Dr. Robert Ruth is an orthopaedic hand surgery physician in Santa Barbara, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ruth performed 3,003 Medicare services across 1,978 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ruth received a total of $268 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 10 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopaedic hand surgery physician. 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. Ruth 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
660 | $5 | $26 |
| 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. |
365 | $68 | $293 |
| X-ray of finger, minimum of 2 views An X-ray imaging test of a finger using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
279 | $32 | $144 |
| Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints. |
261 | $36 | $163 |
| 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. |
164 | $76 | $434 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
163 | $41 | $236 |
| 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. |
161 | $99 | $432 |
| 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. |
134 | $140 | $579 |
| Nonremovable forearm to hand splint application A healthcare provider applies a rigid splint that extends from the forearm to the hand to immobilize and support the area. |
123 | $54 | $268 |
| Ultrasound-guided joint aspiration or injection Removal of fluid from or injection into a medium-sized joint using ultrasound guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
97 | $71 | $237 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 77 | $167 | $820 |
| 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. |
68 | $128 | $660 |
| Tendon repair, finger or palm Surgical repair of a damaged tendon in the finger or palm of the hand. |
46 | $393 | $2,077 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
43 | $31 | $140 |
| Complete ultrasound scan of joint An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create detailed images of a joint. This procedure allows for the visualization of the joint's internal structures. |
41 | $41 | $526 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less Use of imaging technology to guide a medical procedure. This service lasts 60 minutes or less. |
34 | $13 | $35 |
| Application of nonmoveable finger splint A rigid splint is applied to a finger to immobilize it and prevent movement during healing. |
29 | $32 | $165 |
| Static finger splint A rigid or semi-rigid device used to immobilize and support a finger. It helps stabilize the joint and promote healing by preventing movement. |
29 | $2 | $40 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
26 | $41 | $178 |
| Endoscopic release of wrist ligament A minimally invasive procedure using a small camera to cut and release ligaments in the wrist. |
25 | $383 | $2,073 |
| Hand and lower forearm cast application Application of a cast to immobilize the hand and lower forearm. This procedure is used to stabilize injuries or fractures in these areas. |
24 | $85 | $392 |
| Adult fiberglass gauntlet cast Application of a fiberglass cast covering the lower forearm and hand for patients aged 11 and older. |
21 | $25 | $60 |
| Wrist to finger joint removal Surgical removal of the bones forming the joints between the wrist and the fingers. |
19 | $699 | $3,343 |
| Tendon transfer to back of hand A surgical procedure where a tendon is moved to a new location on the back of the hand to restore function. |
19 | $350 | $3,107 |
| Injection of carpal tunnel | 18 | $70 | $307 |
| Hand nerve release or relocation A surgical procedure to release or reposition a nerve in the hand. |
18 | $315 | $1,744 |
| Elbow to finger cast application Application of a cast extending from the elbow to the fingers to immobilize the arm. |
17 | $77 | $372 |
| Adult short arm fiberglass cast supplies Materials used to apply a short arm cast made of fiberglass for patients aged 11 and older. |
16 | $18 | $60 |
| Ultrasound-guided small joint aspiration or injection This procedure involves removing fluid from or injecting medication into a small joint while using ultrasound imaging to guide the needle placement. |
13 | $44 | $224 |
| Adult fiberglass short arm splint supplies Materials for creating a fiberglass splint for an adult's short arm. |
13 | $10 | $60 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Ruth is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 18% 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
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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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