Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Thomas Whittle, M.D.

Surgery · Galesburg, IL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
3315 N SEMINARY ST, Galesburg, IL 61401
3093441000
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1154422988 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. Whittle 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. Whittle

Dr. Thomas Whittle is a surgery specialist in Galesburg, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Whittle performed 1,498 Medicare services across 1,213 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Whittle received a total of $2,087 from 8 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 30 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. 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. Whittle 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 4% volume in IL $2,087 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,498
Medicare services
Top 4% in IL for surgery
1,213
Unique beneficiaries
$89
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~79 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
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.
483 $63 $200
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.
156 $70 $274
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.
136 $86 $282
Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity
Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service.
104 $38 $107
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.
101 $113 $410
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.
72 $78 $2,047
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.
57 $102 $374
Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening
A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals who are not at high risk for the disease.
52 $179 $1,844
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.
49 $206 $2,449
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.
48 $30 $124
Intermediate wound repair, 2.6-7.5 cm
A medical procedure to close a wound on the scalp, underarms, trunk, arms, or legs that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters. This type of repair involves cleaning the wound and stitching it closed to promote healing.
39 $214 $1,450
New patient office visit, 15-29 minutes
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting 15 to 29 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter meets this duration threshold.
29 $43 $177
Colonoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon.
24 $137 $1,844
Central venous port insertion
A surgical procedure to place a small reservoir under the skin for long-term access to the bloodstream. The device is connected to a vein to allow for repeated medication administration or blood draws.
20 $260 $5,399
Injection beneath large bowel lining via endoscope
A flexible endoscope is used to inject medication or fluid beneath the lining of the large intestine.
20 $12 $2,406
Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device
Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device.
17 $14 $121
Deep underarm lymph node biopsy or removal
A procedure to remove or sample deep lymph nodes located in the underarm area for examination.
15 $205 $2,605
Surgical removal of skin cancer, 1.1-2.0 cm
Surgical excision of a cancerous skin growth measuring between 1.1 and 2.0 centimeters on the body, arms, or legs.
14 $99 $1,171
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.
14 $62 $197
Intermediate wound repair, face or mouth, 2.5 cm or less
A medical procedure to close a wound on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mouth that is 2.5 centimeters or smaller. This type of repair involves more than simple closure but is less complex than a major repair.
13 $195 $1,366
Removal of noncancer skin growth, 1.1-2.0 cm
This procedure involves the surgical removal of a benign skin growth located on the body, arms, or legs. The growth measured between 1.1 and 2.0 centimeters in diameter.
12 $65 $828
Groin hernia repair, age 5 or older
Surgical repair of a hernia in the groin area for patients aged 5 years or older.
12 $374 $2,917
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.
11 $118 $2,253
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2023 ↗
$2,087
Total received (2019-2023)
Avg $417/year across 5 years
Top 44% in IL for surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
8
Companies
30
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
$2,087 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2023
$420
2022
$1,272
2021
$120
2020
$85
2019
$190

Payments by company (2023)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Davol Inc.
$243
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$177
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2023 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2023) ›
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,131
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$273
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$263
Davol Inc.
$243
DAVOL INC.
$123
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$22
Ethicon US, LLC
$19
CONMED Corporation
$13
Top 3 companies account for 79.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AIRSEAL · Da Vinci Surgical System · Echelon Circular · GRAFIX PL · Grafix · PHASIX · Phasix Mesh · STRAVIX · Stravix · TURBOHAWK
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.

Looking for a surgery specialist in Galesburg?
Compare surgerists in the Galesburg area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Surgerists within 10 mi
8
Per 100K population
16.2
County median income
$53,291
Nearest hospital
ST MARY MEDICAL CENTER
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 2023
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. Whittle is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in IL), 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. Whittle experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Whittle performed 483 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Whittle receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Whittle received a total of $2,087 from 8 companies across 30 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. Whittle's costs compare to other surgerists in Galesburg?
Dr. Whittle's average Medicare payment per service is $89. 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. Whittle) 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 →