Medicare Enrolled
Dr. David Kerns, MD
Surgery · Tyler, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Mixed 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. Kerns 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 →
Are you Dr. Kerns? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Kerns
Dr. David Kerns is a surgery in Tyler, TX, with 20 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kerns performed 3,416 Medicare services across 2,441 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kerns received a total of $13,511 from 33 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 173 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. Payments are distributed across multiple categories and often reflect legitimate professional engagement with the medical industry. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Kerns is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 20 years in practice▲ Top 2% volume in TX$ $13,511 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,416
Medicare services
Top 2% in TX for surgery
2,441
Unique beneficiaries
$140
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~171 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 813 | $90 | $260 |
| Ultrasound study of arm and leg arteries | 401 | $49 | $250 |
| Ultrasound of both sides of head and neck blood flow | 342 | $129 | $480 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or artery grafts | 236 | $179 | $615 |
| Ultrasound of one leg arteries or artery grafts | 138 | $91 | $362 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts | 138 | $113 | $475 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure, each additional 15 minutes | 124 | $8 | $30 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 124 | $125 | $260 |
| Ultrasound study of arm or leg veins with compression and maneuvers | 82 | $134 | $470 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement | 69 | $45 | $150 |
| Removal of tissue from wound, 20.0 sq cm or less | 68 | $75 | $246 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 68 | $56 | $180 |
| Ultrasound study of one arm or leg veins with compression and maneuvers | 65 | $85 | $315 |
| Blood test, basic group of blood chemicals (calcium, ionized) | 59 | $13 | $50 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure (5 years or older), initial 15 minutes | 57 | $38 | $130 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access | 55 | $94 | $385 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity | 54 | $133 | $495 |
| Insertion of needle or tube into artery of arm or leg | 49 | $193 | $1,278 |
| Review by radiologist of additional artery image | 46 | $73 | $235 |
| Review by radiologist of abdominal aorta image | 42 | $84 | $314 |
| Review by radiologist of arm or leg artery image | 42 | $101 | $363 |
| Insertion of tube into abdominal, pelvic, or leg artery, initial third order branch | 34 | $764 | $3,600 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity | 30 | $91 | $254 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) | 24 | $123 | $350 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) | 23 | $82 | $220 |
| Smoking and tobacco use intensive counseling, 4-10 minutes | 22 | $14 | $30 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 5-10 minutes | 21 | $21 | $137 |
| Insertion of stent and blood clot protection device in neck artery with review by radiologist | 20 | $727 | $2,515 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis artery and vein blood flow | 20 | $202 | $675 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity | 20 | $61 | $200 |
| Removal of plaque in arteries of leg | 18 | $5,747 | $22,770 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for blood vessel access | 18 | $11 | $28 |
| Injection of chemical agent into multiple incompetent veins of same leg using ultrasound guidance | 16 | $1,077 | $3,750 |
| Ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts | 16 | $72 | $300 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 14 | $100 | $338 |
| Removal of blood clot and portion of chest, neck, or brain artery | 12 | $835 | $2,867 |
| Ultrasound evaluation of blood vessel with review by radiologist, initial vessel | 12 | $66 | $232 |
| Ultrasound evaluation of blood vessel with review by radiologist, each additional vessel | 12 | $53 | $185 |
| Limited ultrasound scan behind abdominal cavity | 12 | $45 | $140 |
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.
5.1% high complexity
40.7% medium
54.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$13,511
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,930/year across 7 years
Top 22% in TX for surgery
33
Companies
173
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.
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$7,858 (58.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$5,653 (41.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024$2,112
2023$2,511
2022$6,074
2021$735
2020$358
2019$1,201
2018$519
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$7,858
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$2,130
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$1,314
Inari Medical, Inc.
$447
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$327
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$268
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$201
Ethicon US, LLC
$158
MY01 Inc.
$143
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$83
Boston Scientific Corporation
$82
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$73
Teleflex LLC
$44
Surmodics, Inc.
$29
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$27
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$26
KCI USA, Inc.
$25
Avinger Inc.
$24
Covidien LP
$23
Davol Inc.
$23
Biom'Up SA
$20
Stryker Corporation
$20
Abbott Laboratories
$18
Endologix LLC
$18
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$18
Admedus Corporation
$17
DAVOL INC.
$16
PolyNovo North America LLC
$15
Misonix Inc
$14
Cook Medical LLC
$14
Maquet Cardiovascular U.S. Sales, L.L.C.
$13
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$12
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 83.7% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFX2 Bifurcated Endograft System · ANGIOJET · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · Auryon Laser System 100-120 Vac · C3 Delivery System · DERMATAC · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Da Vinci Surgical System · Diamondback Peripheral · ELIQUIS · ENROUTE .014 Guidewire · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · EXCLUDER Conformable AAA Endoprosthesis with Active Control · EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · Echelon Flex · FLIXENE · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft · GORE TAG Conformable Thoracic Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Conformable Thoracic Stent Graft · GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · GRAFIX · GRAFIX PL · Hemoblast · LUTONIX Drug Coated Balloon · Ligation: Hem-o-lok Polymer Locking Ligation System · MAKO · MANTA Vascular Closure Device · MY01 Continuous Compartmental Pressure Monitor · Megadyne · NOVOSORB BTM · PANTHERIS · Parietene · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · Phasix Mesh · REGRANEX · RotarexS 6 F x 135 cm · S · Santyl · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Stravix · Sublime 014 Rx PTA Balloon Dilatation Catheter · TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · VENTRALIGHT · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface · Varithena Administration Pack · VenaCure 1470 Pro · XARELTO · ZILVER PTX
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 →
Payments are distributed across multiple categories with no single dominant type.
Equivalent to $396 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Surgerys within 10 mi
30
Per 100K population
12.6
County median income
$71,923
Nearest hospital
UT HEALTH EAST TEXAS TYLER REGIONAL 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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Kerns is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in TX), and mixed engagement industry engagement, with 20 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
Is Dr. Kerns experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kerns performed 813 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Kerns receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kerns received a total of $13,511 from 33 companies across 173 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. Kerns's costs compare to other surgerys in Tyler?
Dr. Kerns's average Medicare payment per service is $140. 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. Kerns) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Surgerys in Tyler
Browse surgerys in Tyler ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Surgerys in TX
Surgerys ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Surgerys in TX
Which TX surgerys receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
AngioDynamics, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from AngioDynamics, Inc..
By company
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc..
By company
Silk Road Medical, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Silk Road Medical, Inc..
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. 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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology