Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Robert Ernst, M.D.

Radiation Oncology · Cincinnati, OH
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
2139 AUBURN AVE, Cincinnati, OH 45219
5137927445
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1275588311 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. Ernst 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. Ernst

Dr. Robert Ernst is a radiation oncology specialist in Cincinnati, OH, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ernst performed 849 Medicare services across 656 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ernst received a total of $3,380 from 8 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 38 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in radiation oncology. 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. Ernst 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 ▲ 849 Medicare services $3,380 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
849
Medicare services
Bottom 23% in OH for radiation oncology
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
656
Unique beneficiaries
$77
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~42 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
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.
339 $71 $247
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.
162 $81 $290
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.
83 $83 $339
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.
66 $51 $208
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.
59 $64 $241
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.
58 $81 $268
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.
38 $185 $825
Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint
This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint.
33 $57 $224
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.
11 $48 $179
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 ↗
$3,380
Total received (2021-2024)
Avg $845/year across 4 years
Top 12% in OH for radiation oncology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
8
Companies
38
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
$3,380 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$1,660
2023
$1,462
2022
$239
2021
$19

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$1,050
Medtronic, Inc.
$569
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$24
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$16
Top 3 companies account for 99.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$1,215
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$1,134
Medtronic, Inc.
$940
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$24
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$20
Advanced Critical Devices, Inc.
$19
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$16
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 97.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Evoke · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Intracept · KYPHON EXPRESS II KYPHOPAK TRAY · LEQVIO · NA · SPRINT PNS System · Vascular Products · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16
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 radiation oncology specialist in Cincinnati?
Compare radiation oncologists in the Cincinnati area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse radiation oncologists nearby

Geographic Context

Radiation oncologists within 10 mi
238
Per 100K population
28.7
County median income
$70,816
Nearest hospital
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER, LLC
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. Ernst is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 12% of OH 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. Ernst experienced with injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ernst performed 339 injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance 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. Ernst receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ernst received a total of $3,380 from 8 companies across 38 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. Ernst's costs compare to other radiation oncologists in Cincinnati?
Dr. Ernst's average Medicare payment per service is $77. 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. Ernst) 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.

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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 →