Dr. Karim Alavi, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Alavi
Dr. Karim Alavi is a colon & rectal surgery specialist in Worcester, MA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Alavi performed 568 Medicare services across 445 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Alavi received a total of $17,955 from 12 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 45 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in colon & rectal surgery. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Alavi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
104 | $70 | $286 |
| 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. |
70 | $85 | $359 |
| Anoscopy A diagnostic exam of the anus using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope to look inside. |
68 | $91 | $422 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
55 | $53 | $842 |
| Rectal and anal tone and sensation test A physical examination to assess muscle tone and sensory function in the rectum and anus. |
53 | $433 | $1,990 |
| 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. |
46 | $40 | $158 |
| 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. |
35 | $62 | $238 |
| Rectal sensitivity and function study A test to evaluate the sensitivity and functional performance of the rectum. |
23 | $232 | $1,056 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the lower portion of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope. |
21 | $41 | $574 |
| Transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis An ultrasound imaging procedure where a probe is inserted into the rectum to visualize pelvic structures. |
18 | $116 | $690 |
| Moderate sedation during GI endoscopy Sedation services provided by the physician performing a gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure. This requires an independent trained observer to assist in monitoring the patient. |
17 | $5 | $272 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters. |
16 | $39 | $169 |
| 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. |
15 | $215 | $2,104 |
| 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. |
14 | $133 | $547 |
| 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. |
13 | $186 | $1,518 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2023 ↗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 (2023)
All-time payments by company (2018-2023) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (61%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in colon & rectal surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
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 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. Alavi is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in MA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement, with 20 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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