Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Vidyashankar Ponnathpur, MD
Cardiovascular Disease · East Stroudsburg, PA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
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. Ponnathpur 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. Ponnathpur
Dr. Vidyashankar Ponnathpur is a cardiovascular disease specialist in East Stroudsburg, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ponnathpur performed 5,486 Medicare services across 3,591 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ponnathpur received a total of $48,312 from 12 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 84 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Ponnathpur 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 5% volume in PA
$48,312 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,486
Medicare services
Top 5% in PA for cardiovascular disease
3,591
Unique beneficiaries
$31
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~274 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
2,037 | $6 | $48 |
| 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. |
637 | $87 | $213 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
317 | $13 | $73 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
304 | $48 | $172 |
| Anticoagulant management for warfarin Management of anticoagulant therapy for a patient taking warfarin. This service involves monitoring and adjusting the medication regimen. |
268 | $8 | $42 |
| 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. |
264 | $56 | $145 |
| 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. |
240 | $62 | $140 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
232 | $18 | $71 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
112 | $22 | $127 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
100 | $16 | $58 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
96 | $134 | $395 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
87 | $10 | $91 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
85 | $23 | $129 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
81 | $15 | $97 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
81 | $10 | $171 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
66 | $54 | $221 |
| 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. |
65 | $93 | $201 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
64 | $58 | $145 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
57 | $2 | $67 |
| Follow-up ultrasound of heart blood flow, valves and chambers An ultrasound exam that follows up on the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. It uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and function. |
44 | $5 | $22 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
43 | $18 | $67 |
| 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. |
28 | $98 | $283 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with professional review A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a review by a healthcare professional. |
25 | $13 | $98 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
25 | $16 | $56 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
18 | $20 | $548 |
| Programming of multiple lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with multiple leads to ensure proper function. |
17 | $71 | $223 |
| Stress echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed while at rest and during exercise or drug-induced stress to evaluate heart function under different conditions. |
16 | $51 | $183 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
15 | $79 | $267 |
| Pacemaker programming, single lead Adjustment and testing of a single-lead pacemaker to ensure it functions correctly. |
14 | $46 | $122 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
13 | $78 | $438 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
13 | $14 | $102 |
| 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. |
11 | $59 | $212 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
11 | $100 | $281 |
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.
19.9% high complexity
6.5% medium
73.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2023 ↗$48,312
Total received (2018-2023)
Avg $8,052/year across 6 years
Top 9% in PA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
12
Companies
84
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.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$45,825 (94.9%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$1,787 (3.7%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$701 (1.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2023
$954
2022
$6,732
2021
$3,384
2020
$2,671
2019
$16,112
2018
$18,458
Payments by company (2023)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$701
Abbott Laboratories
$212
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$23
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$19
Top 3 companies account for 98.0% of 2023 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2023) ›
PFIZER INC.
$26,656
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$20,016
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$535
Abbott Laboratories
$327
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$220
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$144
MannKind Corporation
$125
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$118
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$116
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$23
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$19
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 97.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFREZZA · ASSURITY · Alere i · Assurity Pacemaker · CAMZYOS · CHANTIX · CONFIRM RX · ELIQUIS · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · JARDIANCE · MULTAQ · NEXLIZET · SAMSCA · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · Vascepa · WATCHMAN
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 →
The majority of payments (95%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in cardiovascular disease and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 9% for cardiovascular disease in PA.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
26
Per 100K population
15.5
County median income
$82,374
Nearest hospital
LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL - POCONO
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 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. Ponnathpur is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in PA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 9% of PA 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. Ponnathpur experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ponnathpur performed 2,037 ekg interpretation and report 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. Ponnathpur receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ponnathpur received a total of $48,312 from 12 companies across 84 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. Ponnathpur's costs compare to other cardiologists in East Stroudsburg?
Dr. Ponnathpur's average Medicare payment per service is $31. 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. Ponnathpur) 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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