Dr. Elsa Canales, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Canales
Dr. Elsa Canales is a gastroenterology in Laredo, TX, with 19 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Canales performed 3,980 Medicare services across 2,462 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Canales received a total of $3,391 from 32 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 193 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Canales 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity | 1,007 | $24 | $66 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 672 | $62 | $100 |
| Special stained specimen slides to identify organisms including interpretation and report | 377 | $63 | $106 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue including interpretation and report | 332 | $53 | $90 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 328 | $84 | $145 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity | 298 | $61 | $97 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 275 | $107 | $200 |
| Removal of polyps or growths of large bowel using an endoscope with mechanical snare | 153 | $204 | $1,028 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy | 118 | $74 | $530 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 118 | $99 | $205 |
| Moderate sedation services provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing a gastrointestinal endoscopic service that sedation supports, requiring the presence of an independent trained observer to assist in the monito | 88 | $4 | $50 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity | 69 | $132 | $263 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy | 34 | $72 | $754 |
| Removal of external hemorrhoids by rubber banding | 31 | $219 | $725 |
| Diagnostic exam of large bowel using a flexible endoscope | 29 | $100 | $674 |
| Measurement of liver stiffness | 27 | $21 | $125 |
| Insertion of stomach tube using a flexible endoscope | 24 | $151 | $787 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗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 (2024)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Canales is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in TX), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of practice experience.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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