Medicare Enrolled

Dr. John Stirton, MD

Orthopedic Surgery · Alton, IL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Consulting-driven
4 MEMORIAL DR, Alton, IL 62002
6184637600
In practice since 2007 (19 years)
NPI: 1851598429 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Stirton 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. Stirton

Dr. John Stirton is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Alton, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Stirton performed 2,385 Medicare services across 1,205 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Stirton received a total of $183,737 from 22 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 159 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. 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. Stirton 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 33% volume in IL $183,737 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,385
Medicare services
Top 33% in IL for orthopedic surgery
1,205
Unique beneficiaries
$85
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~126 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
Extended-release steroid injection (Zilretta)
An injection of triamcinolone acetonide using a preservative-free, extended-release microsphere formulation. The dosage is measured in milligrams.
672 $13 $35
Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg
An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication.
387 $8 $22
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
337 $49 $276
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.
237 $83 $219
Hip X-ray, 2-3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the hip joint using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures.
235 $22 $103
Knee X-ray, 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures.
119 $20 $79
Knee X-ray, 4 or more views
An imaging test using X-rays to create multiple pictures of the knee joint from different angles.
89 $31 $135
Total knee replacement 66 $1,053 $4,476
Total hip replacement
Surgical procedure to replace the thigh bone and hip joint with artificial components.
63 $1,054 $3,686
Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views
An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
54 $16 $76
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.
47 $53 $150
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.
31 $93 $336
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.
22 $40 $90
X-ray of both hips, 3-4 views
An X-ray imaging test that captures 3 to 4 views of both hip joints to visualize the bones and surrounding structures.
14 $25 $106
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.
12 $64 $220
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.
5.4% high complexity
58.5% medium
36.1% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$183,737
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $26,248/year across 7 years
Top 6% in IL for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
22
Companies
159
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.

Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$168,060 (91.5%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$13,000 (7.1%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,677 (1.5%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$509
2023
$2,729
2022
$20,989
2021
$44,235
2020
$55,954
2019
$17,919
2018
$41,402

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$311
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$66
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$49
Skeletal Dynamics Inc
$32
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$21
Bioventus LLC
$16
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 83.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$168,060
Applied Medical Resources Corporation
$13,000
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$1,742
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$159
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$132
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$105
Exactech, Inc.
$100
Osteoremedies, LLC
$91
ORTHALIGN INC
$57
Bioventus LLC
$39
Conformis, Inc.
$35
Skeletal Dynamics Inc
$32
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$30
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$27
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$21
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$19
Medtronic, Inc.
$18
SI-BONE, Inc.
$17
Radius Health, Inc.
$14
Amgen Inc.
$14
Paragon 28, Inc.
$14
Abbott Laboratories
$12
Top 3 companies account for 99.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
361 System Assembly · ACTIS · ALEXIS ORTHO PROT · ALEXIS Orthopaedic Protector · ATTUNE · Axium INS DRG IPG · Baby Gorilla · CORAIL · DUROLANE · Durolane · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · Exparel · Gel-One Cross-linked Hyaluronate · Geminus · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Iovera · Kincise · MONOVISC · OPTETRAK · ORTHOVISC · OrthAlign Plus System · PINNACLE · RECLAIM · ROSA · SYNVISC-ONE · Tymlos · Zilretta · Zynrelef · iFuse Implant · iTotal PS
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 (92%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 6% for orthopedic surgery in IL.

Looking for an orthopedic surgery specialist in Alton?
Compare orthopedic surgeons in the Alton area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse orthopedic surgeons nearby

Geographic Context

Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
125
Per 100K population
47.2
County median income
$74,800
Nearest hospital
ALTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
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. Stirton is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 6% of IL peers, 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. Stirton experienced with extended-release steroid injection (zilretta)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Stirton performed 672 extended-release steroid injection (zilretta) 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. Stirton receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Stirton received a total of $183,737 from 22 companies across 159 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. Stirton's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Alton?
Dr. Stirton's average Medicare payment per service is $85. 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. Stirton) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →