Dr. Lauren Sum
What this data tells you about Dr. Sum
Dr. Lauren Sum is a podiatrist in Houston, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sum performed 1,801 Medicare services across 1,110 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sum received a total of $848 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 34 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in podiatrist. 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. Sum is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. 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) | 469 | $67 | $150 |
| Toenail/fingernail removal, 6+ nails | 344 | $33 | $70 |
| Removal of inflamed or infected skin, up to 10% of body surface | 213 | $37 | $90 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) | 108 | $77 | $175 |
| Removal of thickened skin growths, 2-4 | 73 | $53 | $130 |
| Removal of tissue from wound, 20.0 sq cm or less | 71 | $77 | $160 |
| Simple separation of fingernail or toenail from nail bed, first nail | 51 | $85 | $180 |
| Drainage of blood or fluid accumulation | 47 | $116 | $265 |
| Toenail/fingernail removal, 1-5 nails | 47 | $24 | $59 |
| Removal of blood accumulation under fingernail or toenail | 43 | $29 | $90 |
| Simple or single drainage of skin abscess | 38 | $87 | $200 |
| Home visit, established patient, low complexity | 37 | $34 | $125 |
| Removal of noncancer thickened skin growth, 1 growth | 30 | $49 | $115 |
| Permanent removal fingernail or toenail | 29 | $123 | $250 |
| Complicated or multiple drainage of skin abscess | 28 | $151 | $330 |
| Shaving of skin growth of scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 0.6-1.0 cm | 28 | $76 | $195 |
| Removal of skin and tissue, 20.0 sq cm or less | 26 | $86 | $210 |
| Removal of noncancer thickened skin growth, more than 4 growths | 25 | $58 | $145 |
| Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from small joint | 20 | $25 | $85 |
| Placement of strapping to toes | 19 | $11 | $30 |
| Removal of noncancer skin growth of scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 0.5 cm or less | 16 | $93 | $200 |
| Shaving of skin growth of scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 0.5 cm or less | 13 | $63 | $170 |
| Residence visit for new patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 60 minutes | 13 | $111 | $268 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) | 13 | $1 | $4 |
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)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (88%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
1.5 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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Sum is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 26% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Sum experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
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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. The Transparency Score measures 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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