Dr. Robert D. Dowling, M.D.
Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician)
- Medicare participating
At a glance
- Medical school
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (1985)
- Years since graduation
- 41
- In the NPI registry since
- 2006
- Medicare patients seen, 2024
- 61
The NPI date is when this clinician registered for a National Provider Identifier, the billing number used on health claims. It is not a license, graduation or board-certification date. NPIs were first issued in May 2005 and became required on claims in 2007–2008, so an early date usually means the clinician was already in practice before then. What an NPI is
Education and training
- 1985Medical school: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- 2006Registered with an NPI (national billing number; not a license date) — NPIs began in 2005, so practice likely started earlier
Undergraduate school, residency, fellowship, licensing exams and board certification aren’t in public federal data. Board certification can be confirmed with the certifying board (ABMS member boards for MDs, AOA boards for DOs).
Specialties and state licenses
-
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician primary
KY license 30841
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Where they work
Hospitals
- Christ Hospital Cincinnati, OH
Medical groups
- The Christ Hospital Cardiovascular Associates LLC (152 clinicians)
Hospitals this clinician lists with Medicare, and groups they bill Medicare through (Care Compare). Affiliation doesn’t mean they see patients at every location.
Medicare patients and services
- Medicare patients, 2024
- 61
- Services billed
- 155
- Patients’ average age
- 75
| Service | Times | Patients |
|---|---|---|
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 60-74 minutes | 34 | 34 |
| Replacement of aortic valve through the skin and femoral artery | 16 | 16 |
| Harvest of vein using an endoscope | 14 | 14 |
Medicare fee-for-service only. CMS leaves out services billed for fewer than 11 patients. These figures describe a practice’s Medicare work; they aren’t a measure of quality.
Payments from drug and device companies
In 2025, 9 companies reported 46 payments worth $15,378 in total to this clinician.
| Abiomed | $12,795 |
|---|---|
| Transmedics, Inc. | $1,362 |
| Atricure, Inc. | $320 |
| Briohealth Solutions, Inc. | $301 |
| Artivion, Inc. | $237 |
| Cerus Corporation | $172 |
| Abbott Laboratories | $157 |
| Teleflex LLC | $18.92 |
| Consulting Fee | $10,200 |
|---|---|
| Travel and Lodging | $2,610 |
| Food and Beverage | $2,567 |
What the payments were for
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abiomed Jan 17, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $6,000 |
| Abiomed Jun 26, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $4,200 |
| Transmedics, Inc. Nov 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging Organ Care System · Device · travel to BOSTON, MA | $1,044 |
| Abiomed Feb 10, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to BOSTON, MA · in-kind | $567 |
| Abiomed Dec 5, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to Washington, DC · in-kind | $380 |
| Transmedics, Inc. Oct 24, 2025 | Travel and Lodging Organ Care System · Device · travel to BOSTON, MA | $318 |
| Abiomed Mar 10, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to Boston, MA · in-kind | $252 |
| Abiomed Sep 29, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to Cincinnati, OH · in-kind | $31.86 |
| Abiomed Feb 13, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to Boston, MA · in-kind | $15.31 |
| Abiomed Mar 10, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to Boston, MA · in-kind | $2.72 |
Each payment as the company reported it, with the products it named. Meals are counted in the totals above but not listed one by one.
From CMS Open Payments. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing; many are for consulting, teaching or meals. Clinicians can review and dispute their records with CMS.
Industry-funded research
Named as a principal investigator on 2 industry-funded studies in 2025, from 2 companies. The companies reported $78,050 in research payments for these studies, mostly to the institutions running them.
- Innovate
Briohealth Solutions, Inc. - Clinical study for validation of the HemoCue Plasma Free Hb System in ECMO and VAD whole blood samples from pediatric and adult population.
Radiometer America, Inc
From CMS Open Payments research payments, where companies name up to five principal investigators per payment. Research payments usually go to hospitals, universities and research sites, not to the investigator personally. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing.