Healthcare Insights
Top 25 physician procedures
Physicians are the backbone of any healthcare system. As the primary caregivers, they identify patient ailments and determine courses of treatment that define each episode of care. They also deliver those treatments, sometimes with the assistance of other healthcare professionals.
From an operational perspective, physicians also influence supply spending by requesting preferred medical devices and supplies. A physician’s preferred equipment will largely depend on the types of procedures they’re performing most often.
Using data from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims product, we’ve compiled a list of the top 25 physician procedures in 2024 ranked by their percentage of the total procedure volume nationwide. Data represents claims for the year 2024 through November.
| Rank | HCPCS/CPT code | HCPCS/CPT description | % Total procedures | Avg charge/procedure | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99214 | Outpatient visit w/ established patient, 30-39 min. | 5.04% | $261 | Explore |
| 2 | 99213 | Outpatient visit w/ established patient, 20-29 min. | 4.73% | $180 | Explore |
| 3 | 97110 | Therapeutic exercises | 3.44% | $125 | Explore |
| 4 | 97530 | Therapeutic activities | 2.78% | $121 | Explore |
| 5 | 97112 | Neuromuscular reeducation | 2.12% | $102 | Explore |
| 6 | 97140 | Manual therapy, 1 or more regions | 1.92% | $89 | Explore |
| 7 | 36415 | Collection of venous blood via venipuncture | 1.58% | $21 | Explore |
| 8 | 85025 | Complete blood count w/ automated white blood cell count | 1.11% | $69 | Explore |
| 9 | 3078F | Diastolic blood pressure < 80 mm HG | 1.10% | $1 | Explore |
| 10 | 99232 | Subsequent hospital inpatient/observation care | 1.04% | $201 | Explore |
| 11 | 3074F | Systolic blood pressure < 130 mm Hg | 1.04% | $1 | Explore |
| 12 | 80053 | Comprehensive metabolic panel | 0.95% | $140 | Explore |
| 13 | 90999 | Unlisted dialysis procedure | 0.90% | $6,867 | Explore |
| 14 | 99204 | Outpatient visit w/ new patient, 45-59 min. | 0.89% | $385 | Explore |
| 15 | 90837 | Psychotherapy session, 60 min. | 0.82% | $443 | Explore |
| 16 | 1159F | Medication list documented in medical record | 0.78% | $1 | Explore |
| 17 | 1160F | Review of all medications documented in record | 0.72% | $1 | Explore |
| 18 | 99203 | Outpatient visit w/ new patient, 30-44 min. | 0.72% | $260 | Explore |
| 19 | 3008F | Body mass index documentation | 0.70% | $1 | Explore |
| 20 | G2211 | Complex e/m visit add on | 0.68% | $43 | Explore |
| 21 | G0299 | Home health/hospice visit by RN, 15 min. | 0.66% | $157 | Explore |
| 22 | 99284 | Emergency dept. visit, moderate complexity | 0.65% | $1,189 | Explore |
| 23 | 99233 | Subsequent inpatient hospital vist, high complexity | 0.65% | $303 | Explore |
| 24 | 99285 | Emergency dept. visit, high complexity | 0.61% | $1,652 | Explore |
| 25 | 99212 | Outpatient visit w/ established patient, 10-19 min. | 0.52% | $119 | Explore |
Fig. 1 Analysis of data from the Definitive Healthcare’s Atlas All-Payor Claims product for the calendar year 2024 through November. Claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States and updated monthly. Accessed December 2024.
What are the most common physician procedures in 2024?
The two most common procedures in 2024 were two related codes: Routine office visits for established patients (CPT codes 99214 and 99213) accounted for 5.04% and 4.73% of all physician procedures last year. These codes both refer to a general visit to a physician for an established patient, with the differences between them being the duration of the visit and the level of clinical decision-making.
The first-place code refers to visits between 30-39 minutes and involve a moderate amount of care. The second refers to visits that are less than 29 minutes and require minimal care.
Following routine office visits, the second most common procedures billed by physicians in 2024 are therapeutic exercises and activities (CPT codes 97110 and 97530), accounting for 3.44% and 2.78% of total claims in 2024. Patients may require physical therapy for a wide range of conditions and illnesses.
Physical therapy exercises may be needed after surgery, accidents, or other clinical events to prevent loss of motion, maintain or improve muscular strength, or increase flexibility, making it a common procedure. Therapeutic activities involve a wider range of dynamic movements designed to replicate real-life kinetics, such as bending over or walking up stairs.
What are procedure codes for billing?
Medical procedure codes, or Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, are numerical identifiers and descriptions used to report medical, surgical, and diagnostic services for reimbursement from Medicare and other payors.
Procedure codes give healthcare professionals a standardized language for reporting services, processing claims, and developing new guidelines for medical care review. Codes exist for nearly every point in a patient’s care journey, beginning with their initial contact with a physician’s office. Healthcare administrators must employ correct coding to receive the appropriate reimbursement for services rendered.
What physician procedures have the highest charges?
While charges for many of the top physician-billed procedures are relatively low, this list has one standout: CPT code 90999 for “unlisted dialysis procedures” ranks 13th by volume, but ranks first on the list by average charge per procedure.
Dialysis requires specialized equipment, single-use supplies, highly trained staff, and unique infrastructure, making the procedure a significant financial burden for care systems and patients alike.
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