Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Krishna Bhat, MD
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation · Sanford, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Bhat 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 →
Are you Dr. Bhat?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Bhat
Dr. Krishna Bhat is a physical medicine & rehabilitation specialist in Sanford, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Bhat performed 5,451 Medicare services across 1,824 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Bhat received a total of $29,000 from 54 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 889 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in physical medicine & rehabilitation. 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. Bhat 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 15% volume in NC
$29,000 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,451
Medicare services
Top 15% in NC for physical medicine & rehabilitation
1,824
Unique beneficiaries
$41
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~273 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
2,244 | $1 | $4 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
627 | $0 | $2 |
| 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. |
594 | $58 | $140 |
| 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. |
391 | $88 | $210 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
225 | $61 | $200 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
160 | $10 | $60 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
150 | $214 | $792 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
140 | $0 | $0 |
| 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. |
93 | $116 | $320 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
91 | $86 | $300 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
84 | $37 | $120 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
84 | $8 | $30 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
77 | $186 | $719 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
76 | $51 | $191 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
76 | $99 | $368 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
73 | $138 | $773 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
54 | $394 | $1,141 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
54 | $219 | $570 |
| Trigger point injection, 3 or more muscles Injection of medication into three or more specific muscle trigger points to relieve pain. |
44 | $43 | $185 |
| Electromyography of arm or leg muscles A test that measures the electrical activity in the muscles of the arm or leg using a needle electrode. It helps evaluate the health of muscles and the nerve cells that control them. |
30 | $75 | $187 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
29 | $177 | $620 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
21 | $175 | $600 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
20 | $87 | $225 |
| Nerve conduction studies, 5-6 tests A series of 5 to 6 tests that measure how well nerves send electrical signals. The procedure evaluates nerve function and helps identify damage or dysfunction. |
14 | $103 | $290 |
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 2024 ↗$29,000
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $4,143/year across 7 years
Top 2% in NC for physical medicine & rehabilitation
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
54
Companies
889
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
$28,979 (99.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$21 (0.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$3,049
2023
$2,694
2022
$4,635
2021
$8,842
2020
$5,038
2019
$2,916
2018
$1,826
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$2,310
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$323
SI-BONE, INC.
$162
ABBVIE INC.
$99
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$29
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$25
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$24
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$24
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$21
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$16
Top 3 companies account for 91.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Abbott Laboratories
$21,876
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$1,004
Boston Scientific Corporation
$861
Nevro Corp.
$567
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$496
SI-BONE, INC.
$402
PFIZER INC.
$313
AbbVie Inc.
$297
Amgen Inc.
$249
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$239
ABBVIE INC.
$196
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$191
SPINEART USA INC
$160
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$145
Sonex Health, Inc.
$134
Assertio Therapeutics, Inc.
$130
ASSERTIO THERAPEUTICS, Inc.
$127
Novo Nordisk Inc
$120
Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc.
$119
SI-BONE, Inc.
$102
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$102
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$98
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$88
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$72
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$71
Almatica Pharma LLC
$62
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$58
Allergan, Inc.
$56
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$47
Nuvectra Corporation
$47
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$41
Virtus Pharmaceuticals LLC
$39
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$39
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$37
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$33
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$30
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$28
US WorldMeds, LLC
$26
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$25
Lundbeck LLC
$25
Kaleo, Inc.
$25
Bioventus LLC
$24
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$24
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$21
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$19
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$17
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$16
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$16
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$16
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$15
Medtronic, Inc.
$13
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$11
Vertical Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$11
Top 3 companies account for 81.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AIMOVIG · AJOVY · Aimovig · Algovita · BELBUCA · BOTOX · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · CONFIDENCE · Cambia · Durolane · ELYXYB - celecoxib · ENTRADA · ETERNA · EVENITY · EVZIO · Evoke · Evoke SCS · Evzio · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - THERAPIES · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GRALISE · General - Pain Management · General - Therapies · Gralise · HORIZANT · HYMOVIS · Horizant · Hymovis · IFUSE IMPLANT · INTELLIS · Kloxxado · LAMITRODE · LEVORPHANOL TARTRATE · LORZONE · LYRICA · Levorphanol · Levorphanol Tartrate · Licart · LifeVest · Lucemyra/Lofexidine · MOVANTIK · Morphabond ER · NAPRELAN · Nalocet · Nalu Neurostimulation System · Nucynta · OCTRODE · Omnia · PAXLOVID · PERLA TL · PROCLAIM · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Proclaim IPG · QULIPTA · QUTENZA · RELISTOR · RESTORE · SCS leads · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SYMPROIC · Saxenda · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Tirosint · UBRELVY · ULTRAGUIDECTR · VYEPTI · Wegovy · XTAMPZA · XTAMPZAER · Xeomin · ZIPSOR · ZTLido · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH · Zipsor · iFuse Implant · mild Device Kit
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 2% for physical medicine & rehabilitation in NC.
Geographic Context
Physical medicine & rehabilitations within 10 mi
16
Per 100K population
24.8
County median income
$63,060
Nearest hospital
CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
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. Bhat is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 15% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 2% of NC peers, 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
Is Dr. Bhat experienced with steroid injection (triamcinolone)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Bhat performed 2,244 steroid injection (triamcinolone) 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. Bhat receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Bhat received a total of $29,000 from 54 companies across 889 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. Bhat's costs compare to other physical medicine & rehabilitations in Sanford?
Dr. Bhat's average Medicare payment per service is $41. 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. Bhat) 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 →
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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.
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