Richard Lee Putnam, MD

Family Medicine

Telehealth Available
NPI Active per CMS — Q2 2026|Medicare Enrolled|Order & Refer

Richard Lee Putnam, MD has been part of the Poway medical community since 2006 in group practice. He graduated from University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in 1977 and has 49+ years of clinical experience. He regularly sees Medicare patients with high cholesterol, hypertension, and arthritis (per CMS claims data). CMS MIPS quality score: 80.16/100 (2023).

At a glance

  • Prescribes opioids less than 26% of reporting doctors in California
  • Uses generic medications more than 78% of reporting doctors in California
  • Federal MIPS score higher than 45% of MIPS-scored doctors in California
  • Virtual visits available — no app or travel required
1 of 4,025 Family Medicine providers in CASee all Family Medicine in Poway49+ years experienceNPI since 2006

Older · 6844dNPPES updated 2007-08-09 · verify on CMS

Contact & Location

Practice Location

15611 Pomerado Rd, Poway, CA 92064-2437

CMS Clinical Data

How Does This Doctor Compare?

Based on Medicare data, this doctor has an average quality score compared to other doctors in California, prescribes opioid pain medications conservatively, favors affordable generic drugs over brand-name ones.

MIPS Score

2023

80.16/100

California avg: 78.6 · US avg: 83.6

Lower than most doctors nationally(-3.4 pts)

Average range among MIPS-scored doctors in California

How the government rates this doctor's Medicare care quality. Scores above 75 are considered good.

Opioid Rx

↓ Lower = better

3.68%

California avg: 5.2 · US avg: 5.1

Higher than most doctors nationally(-1.4 pts)

3.68% of this doctor's prescriptions are opioid pain medications. Lower means more cautious prescribing.

Generic Rx

↑ Higher = better

92.1%

California avg: 83.3 · US avg: 82.8

Higher than most doctors nationally(+9.3 pts)

Better than 78% of reporting doctors in California

How often this doctor prescribes affordable generic drugs instead of expensive brand-name ones.

Medicare Patients

390

Unique beneficiaries

Standard volume

Prescription Recipients

564

Patients prescribed

Prescriptions Written

8,016

Total claims

Total Medicare drug cost: $442k

Percentile rankings compared against 9,360 reporting peers in California.

Data Note: Sourced from CMS Medicare Provider Utilization & Payment Data. Percentile rankings compare this provider against all peers with reported data in the same state. Updated annually to reflect the latest federal reporting cycle.

Patient Condition Panel

What This Doctor Treats Most

Based on Medicare claims data — here's what patients commonly see this doctor for

Based on Medicare data, this doctor primarily manages High Cholesterol, Hypertension, and Arthritis.

High Cholesterol
Higher than avg (+5%)75%

Elevated cholesterol or triglycerides that increase heart disease risk

US avg: 70.4%

↑ More patients than average (+5%) — a focus area for this doctor

Hypertension
Lower than avg (-13%)57%

High blood pressure — a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke

US avg: 70.2%

↓ Fewer patients than average (-13%) — less common here

Arthritis
Lower than avg (-16%)33%

Joint inflammation causing pain, swelling, and stiffness

US avg: 49.3%

↓ Fewer patients than average (-16%) — less common here

GeneralBehavioralNational avg

Percentage of this provider's Medicare patients diagnosed with each condition. Source: CMS Utilization Data.

Industry Payment Transparency

$280 received from industry

12 transactions reported in 2024 ·Low tier

View on CMS Open Payments →

Payments include consulting fees, speaking honoraria, food & beverage, travel, research support, and ownership interests from drug and medical device manufacturers. Disclosure is required by the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act. These payments do not necessarily indicate conflicts of interest. National median: $338 across 136 000 tracked providers.

Tiers — Low: under $500 · Moderate: $500-5 000 · High: $5 000-25 000 · Very High: $25 000+. Source: CMS Open Payments 2024, attributed to Richard Lee Putnam's NPI.

Patient Reviews

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Background & Specialty

Education, training, and specialty classification from CMS NPPES and Medicare records.

Career Journey
  1. Graduated medical school · 1977

    University of California, San Diego School of Medicine

  2. 49 years in practice

    Senior practitioner

Family MedicineAllopathic & Osteopathic Physicians

Family Medicine is the medical specialty which is concerned with the total health care of the individual and the family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family medicine is not limited by age, sex, organ system, or disease entity.

Taxonomy: 207Q00000X

Education & Training

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine (Class of 1977)

Practice Footprint

Mailing address

Po Box 28199, San Diego, CA 92198-0199

Differs from practice location

Primary hospital affiliation: Acute Care Hospitals

CMS Certification Number: 190167

View hospital on Medicare Care Compare

Virtual Family Medicine Care With Richard Lee Putnam

NPPES records indicate this provider offers telehealth services. Contact the office to confirm availability and scheduling.

Schedule a virtual visit with Richard Lee Putnam for cholesterol management, blood pressure monitoring, arthritis follow-ups — no travel to Poway required. The office sends a secure video link before your appointment. Most visits take 15–30 minutes. Medicare enrolled per CMS records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Richard Lee Putnam

Dr. Putnam is listed as active in the NPI registry with telehealth listed in Poway, CA. NPI status alone doesn't confirm open availability — call the office to confirm. Phone: (858) 675-3100.

Verified across 6 federal data sources

Sourced from CMS NPPES · OIG LEIE · CMS QPP 2023 · CMS Medicare Part D · CMS Open Payments 2024 · CMS Physician Comparator. See Data Methodology.

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Claim Profile

Medical Disclaimer: NPI Telehealth is a provider directory for informational purposes only. This page does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Provider data is sourced from the CMS NPPES federal registry and public Medicare datasets. NPI Telehealth does not verify clinical qualifications beyond federal records. Data may not reflect real-time availability — always contact the provider's office directly to confirm details before seeking care.

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