Dr. Ralph Tufano, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Tufano
Dr. Ralph Tufano is an otolaryngology specialist in Sarasota, FL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Tufano performed 799 Medicare services across 771 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Tufano received a total of $177,629 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 138 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Tufano is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctor | 150290 | Clear | January 31, 2027 | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation. |
221 | $84 | $231 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 165 | $165 | $421 |
| Intraoperative ultrasound guidance Use of ultrasound imaging during a surgical procedure to help guide the surgeon's actions. |
124 | $49 | $137 |
| Parathyroid gland removal or exploration A surgical procedure to remove or examine the parathyroid glands. |
70 | $777 | $3,090 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
44 | $101 | $143 |
| 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. |
32 | $140 | $294 |
| Thyroid lobe removal Surgical removal of one lobe of the thyroid gland located on one side of the neck. |
30 | $454 | $1,492 |
| Parathyroid tissue removal and reimplantation This procedure involves surgically removing parathyroid tissue and reimplanting it into another part of the body. |
25 | $199 | $523 |
| Release and/or relocation of cranial nerve | 21 | $215 | $1,060 |
| 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. |
21 | $70 | $151 |
| Removal of thyroid | 20 | $657 | $2,847 |
| 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. |
15 | $41 | $91 |
| 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. |
11 | $73 | $217 |
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)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (51%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 0% for otolaryngology in FL.
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Tufano is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 0% of FL peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. 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. The Transparency Score measures 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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