From 2013 to 2022, physicians were paid a total of $12.13 billion, according to a report published in JAMA Network on March 28.
The report, "Industry Payments to US Physicians by Specialty and Product Type," used data from CMS' Open Payments platform. The payment calculations include cash and noncash equivalents for consulting services, nonconsulting services, food and beverages, travels and lodging, entertainment, education, gifts, grants, charitable contributions and honoraria made to physicians.
Here are 39 physician specialties ranked by total amount paid from August 2013 to December 2022:
- Orthopedics: $1,360,744,428
- Neurology and psychiatry: $1,322,668,751
- Cardiology: $1,293,613,594
- Hematology/oncology: $825,799,685
- Internal medicine: $588,249,423
- Endocrinology: $546,513,674
- Family medicine: $479,105,369
- Rheumatology, allergy and immunology: $464,858,022
- Dermatology: $462,809,832
- Gastroenterology: $441,594,616
- Ophthalmology: $431,693,877
- Radiology: $391,978,018
- General surgery: $360,474,915
- OB-GYN: $295,367,215
- Pediatrics: $291,005,562
- Pulmonology: $286,121,375
- Urology: $248,857,164
- Neurosurgery: $236,065,708
- Anesthesiology: $217,675,440
- Cardiothoracic surgery: $183,646,912
- Other: $183,441,139
- Infectious diseases: $170,694,009
- Plastic surgery: $159,538,869
- Nephrology: $156,651,522
- Vascular surgery: $133,653,084
- Emergency medicine: $102,889,555
- ENT: $101,649,087
- Pathology: $101,262,094
- Physical and rehabilitation medicine: $75,865,211
- Gastrointestinal surgery: $48,122,701
- Critical care: $44,090,927
- General practice: $35,592,151
- Surgical oncology: $22,500,511
- Hospitalist: $17,309,602
- Preventive medicine: $16,345,150
- Geriatrics: $14,763,580
- Nuclear medicine: $11,698,857
- Trauma surgery: $6,955,629
- Pediatric surgery: $2,892,084