Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Ralph Darling, MD
Thoracic Surgery · Albany, NY
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Darling 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. Darling
Dr. Ralph Darling is a thoracic surgery specialist in Albany, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Darling performed 866 Medicare services across 753 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Darling received a total of $22,440 from 23 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 339 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic 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. Darling 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 6% volume in NY
$22,440 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗866
Medicare services
Top 6% in NY for thoracic surgery
753
Unique beneficiaries
$88
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
202 | $90 | $309 |
| 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. |
85 | $97 | $404 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
80 | $9 | $140 |
| 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. |
75 | $61 | $214 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
66 | $132 | $587 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries A non-invasive imaging test that uses sound waves to examine the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It evaluates blood flow and checks for blockages or other vascular issues. |
62 | $79 | $400 |
| 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. |
58 | $87 | $382 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
42 | $82 | $362 |
| 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. |
40 | $54 | $271 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow This procedure uses sound waves to create images of blood flow in the arteries and veins of the abdomen and pelvis. It evaluates the rate and direction of blood movement within these vessels. |
28 | $41 | $499 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
25 | $17 | $235 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create images of the arteries in one leg or any grafts present in that leg. |
22 | $85 | $440 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
22 | $120 | $576 |
| Ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow through the arteries and veins in the abdomen and pelvis. |
18 | $28 | $304 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts A complete ultrasound exam of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize these blood vessels. |
16 | $116 | $555 |
| Arterial thrombectomy, chest, neck, or brain A procedure to remove a blood clot and part of an artery in the chest, neck, or brain. |
13 | $822 | $3,460 |
| Ultrasound of arm arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam of the arteries in one arm or any arterial grafts present. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize blood flow and vessel structure. |
12 | $79 | $379 |
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.
1.8% high complexity
43.5% medium
54.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$22,440
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,206/year across 7 years
Top 17% in NY for thoracic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
23
Companies
339
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
$16,827 (75.0%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$3,613 (16.1%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$2,000 (8.9%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,349
2023
$7,230
2022
$2,755
2021
$2,093
2020
$572
2019
$5,647
2018
$1,794
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,533
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$418
Cook Medical LLC
$237
Ethicon US, LLC
$46
InspireMD Ltd
$41
Surgical Specialties Corporation (us), Inc. (dba Corza Medical)
$39
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$35
Top 3 companies account for 93.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic, Inc.
$6,810
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$4,603
Cook Medical LLC
$3,972
CVRx, Inc.
$2,000
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$1,234
Boston Scientific Corporation
$994
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$539
Penumbra, Inc.
$461
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$413
Abbott Laboratories
$232
Surmodics, Inc.
$226
Inari Medical, Inc.
$206
Endologix LLC
$144
Maquet Cardiovascular U.S. Sales, L.L.C.
$112
ConvaTec Inc.
$102
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$101
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$87
Ethicon US, LLC
$46
InspireMD Ltd
$41
Surgical Specialties Corporation (us), Inc. (dba Corza Medical)
$39
Potrero Medical, Inc.
$34
Bolton Medical Inc
$30
Shape Memory Medical Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 68.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(6582) Visions 035 · (6586) Pioneer · ABRE · ANGIOJET · AQUACEL AG · ARTEGRAFT VASCULAR GRAFT · Abre · Alto Abdominal Stent Graft System · Barostim Neo System · C3 Delivery System · CGuard · CONCERTOTM · COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH · COOK MEDICAL STENTS · COOK MEDICAL THORACIC · Conformable TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · ELUVIA · ENDURANT IIS · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · EXCLUDER Conformable AAA Endoprosthesis with Active Control · EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · Endurant · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · GENERAL METALLIC STENTS · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL ULTRASOUND · GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GORE ACUSEAL Cardiovascular Patch Vascular · GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft · GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · General - Angioplasty · General - Vascular Intervention · HAWKONE · HYDRO LEMAITRE VALVULOTOME · HawkOne · Hi-Torque Command guide wire · IGT_D Peripheral · IMPEDE EMBOLIZATION PLUG · IN.PACT ADMIRAL · IN.PACT AV · IN.PACT Admiral · Indigo · JETSTREAM SC · MUSTANG · Mo.Ma · PROPATEN Vascular Graft · PRUITT F3 CAROTID SHUNT · Penumbra Ruby Coil · Penumbra System · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Pounce Thrombectomy System · QC · QT Vascular Chocolate PTA Balloon · ROSEN · Ranger · S · STRATAFIX · Sublime 014 Rx PTA Balloon Dilatation Catheter · Supera peripheral stent system · TREO ABDOMINAL STENT-GRAFT SYSTEM · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin Bioactive Surface · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface · VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis · Valiant Captivia · Valiant Navion · WALLSTENT · XARELTO · ZENITH · ZENITH SPIRAL-Z · ZILVER PTX · iCAST
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 (75%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Thoracic surgerists within 10 mi
23
Per 100K population
7.3
County median income
$83,149
Nearest hospital
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER 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. Darling is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 6% in NY), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% of NY 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. Darling experienced with hospital follow-up visit, high complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Darling performed 202 hospital follow-up visit, high complexity 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. Darling receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Darling received a total of $22,440 from 23 companies across 339 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. Darling's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Albany?
Dr. Darling's average Medicare payment per service is $88. 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. Darling) 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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