Dr. James D. Bruffey, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgery (Orthopaedic Surgery Physician)
10666 N Torrey Pines Rd
La Jolla, CA 92037
Who else practices at this address →
San Diego County includes primary care (1% of residents) and mental health (1% of residents) shortage areas. About shortage areas
- Medicare participating
At a glance
- Medical school
- Ohio State University College of Medicine (1994)
- Years since graduation
- 32
- In the NPI registry since
- 2006
- Medicare patients seen, 2024
- 452
Licensed in California since 1996, according to the Medical Board of California. We show license dates only for the states that publish them in bulk; see which states do. For other states, check the state medical board.
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
- 1994Medical school: Ohio State University College 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
-
Orthopaedic Surgery Physician primary
CA license A60176 (first issued 1996; current) -
Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician
CA license A60176 (first issued 1996; current)
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Where they work
Hospitals
- Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla La Jolla, CA
- Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas Encinitas, CA
- Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA
- Scripps Green Hospital La Jolla, CA
Medical groups
- Scripps Health (1,433 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
- 452
- Services billed
- 1,360
- Patients’ average age
- 75
| Service | Times | Patients |
|---|---|---|
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes | 236 | 188 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 130 | 104 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 40-54 minutes | 77 | 70 |
| Insertion of cage or mesh device to spine bone and disc space during spine fusion | 75 | 40 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes | 71 | 71 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine | 40 | 26 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone through abdomen with partial removal of disc | 36 | 35 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 36 | 35 |
| Fusion of spine bones through front of body with partial removal of disc, each additional disc | 31 | 21 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment | 24 | 24 |
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.
Medicare prescriptions
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (oxycodone hcl/acetaminophen) Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 160 |
| Methylprednisolone Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 56 |
| Cyclobenzaprine Hcl Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 54 |
| Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 43 |
| Cephalexin Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 40 |
| Oxycodone Hcl Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 38 |
| Mupirocin Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 25 |
| Dexamethasone Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 22 |
| Gabapentin Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 21 |
| Methocarbamol Other prescribers in La Jolla, CA | 19 |
Prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, including refills. CMS leaves out drugs prescribed fewer than 11 times.
Payments from drug and device companies
In 2025, 5 companies reported 35 payments worth $41,751 in total to this clinician.
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. | $41,280 |
|---|---|
| Alphatec Spine, Inc | $193 |
| Intrinsic Therapeutics | $150 |
| Globus Medical, Inc. | $99.69 |
| Ossdsign USA Incorporated | $28.61 |
| Royalty or License | $25,876 |
|---|---|
| Consulting Fee | $15,381 |
| Food and Beverage | $494 |
What the payments were for
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Mar 10, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $6,325 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 19, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $6,181 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $3,475 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $3,024 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $2,907 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $2,557 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,976 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,894 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,864 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,605 |
All 24 payments other than meals, newest first
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $3,475 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,976 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $973 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Nov 26, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $881 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $2,907 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,864 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,014 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Aug 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $854 |
| Globus Medical, Inc. Jul 30, 2025 | Royalty or License TRANSCONTINENTAL · SPINE/SPINE SURGERY | $49.09 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $2,557 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,605 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $815 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 28, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $566 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 14, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $575 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 7, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $575 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. May 7, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $575 |
| Globus Medical, Inc. Apr 30, 2025 | Royalty or License TRANSCONTINENTAL · SPINE/SPINE SURGERY | $50.60 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Mar 10, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $6,325 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $3,024 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $1,894 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $828 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 27, 2025 | Royalty or License Physio-Stim · Stimulator, Bone Growth, Non-Invasive | $542 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 26, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $1,150 |
| Orthofix Medical, Inc. Feb 19, 2025 | Consulting Fee MISCELLANEOUS | $6,181 |
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.