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Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD

(Richard T. Allen, MD, PhD)

(346 Ratings)

Specializes in: Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery and General Practice

Creighton University School of Medicine

Professional interests include: musculoskeletal problems, scoliosis, spine problems

9400 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

(858) 657-8200

Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD is an orthopedist in San Diego, CA specializing in orthopedics/orthopedic surgery and general practice. He graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine. Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD is affiliated with UC San Diego Health and UC San Diego Health.

Office Locations

9400 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

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4250 First Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103

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Some issues Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD can help you with:

Musculoskeletal Problems

The musculoskeletal system refers collectively to the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It is what gives the body structure and movement. Because this system encompasses so much of the body, musculoskeletal problems are extremely varied and can happen almost anywhere. There are musculoskeletal problems that affect only the joints, those that affect the bones, those that affect tendons and ligaments, and those that can happen in any area of the body but cause pain and numbness.

Joint problems include bursitis and arthritis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac cushion on the outside of a joint, causing symptoms including pain and swelling. Arthritis is the inflammation and damage of a joint due to wear and tear or disease. There are several treatments for arthritis, but if the damage progresses far enough, joint replacement may be necessary. In joint replacement, a metal or plastic implant is surgically placed within the joint to make movement easier.

Bone problems include scoliosis, fractures, and osteoporosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine, making the normally straight spine look like a 'C' or 'S.' It is treated with braces or surgery. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken and break easily. It's most common in women, especially older women. Fully half of all women over 65 have osteoporosis. Fractures are any break in the bone. They can be a simple crack or a severe and complicated shatter. Osteoporosis causes fractures in people who have it, but other causes are trauma (such as a fall) or overuse.

Tendon and ligament problems most often result from injury or overuse. Two good examples are ligament tears and tendonitis. The most common ligament tear is the ACL tear in the knee. This ligament supports and stabilizes the knee and is most often torn during sports activities. Tendonitis happens when a tendon, which connects muscles and bones together, becomes irritated and inflamed. This happens most often in older patients who push their bodies too far, leading to pain and swelling. Treatment for both tendon and ligament problems usually includes rest, ice, and supporting the area to let it heal.

Pain and numbness problems can be caused by overuse, disease, an injury, or a compressed nerve. Lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are two of the most common conditions patients encounter. Lower back pain may be caused by sore muscles that have been overworked, or an injury to the disks separating the vertebrae in the spine. Lower back pain usually goes away on its own within a few days, but it may require medical treatment depending on the cause. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve at the base of the palm becomes trapped or pinched. Symptoms include tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand. Treatment involves rest and sometimes steroid injections.

Because the musculoskeletal system involves so much of the body, problems here can be incredibly varied in their type and severity. Some musculoskeletal problems will go away on their own or only require rest, while others may require medication, physical therapy, or even surgery.

In The News

“A special thanks to Dr. Richard Todd Allen @ his Ortho team.”—"Former SDSU Basketball Star With Her Own Diagnosis Aids Students Affected By Cancer", NBC 7 San Diego, June 2022

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 5%

By Volume:

cervical spine surgery

decompressive cervical laminectomy

laminectomy with foraminotomy and facetectomy

spinal decompression surgery

spinal fusion

In 2023, Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD performed more cervical spine surgery, decompressive cervical laminectomy, laminectomy with foraminotomy and facetectomy, spinal decompression surgery, and spinal fusion procedures for Medicare patients than 95% of providers in related specialties within California.

Top 10%

By Volume:

decompressive lumbar laminectomy

laminectomy

spinal procedures

In 2023, Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD performed more decompressive lumbar laminectomy, laminectomy, and spinal procedures procedures for Medicare patients than 90% of providers in related specialties within California.

Top 25%

By Volume:

lateral lumbar interbody fusion

lumbar interbody fusion

By Affordability:

posterior cervical fusion

In 2012, among providers in related specialties within California, Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD performed more lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), and lumbar interbody fusion procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of them and he also had a list price for posterior cervical fusion that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 75% of them. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2012 were minimally invasive procedures, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	16
doctor visit	88
minimally invasive procedures	16
spinal procedures	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2013 were minimally invasive procedures, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	20
doctor visit	133
minimally invasive procedures	20
spinal procedures	20

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	50
Female	42

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	68
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	43
From 75 to 84	25
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2013

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	48
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	16
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	22
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	27
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	62

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	34
Female	32

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	49
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	26
From 75 to 84	20
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2014

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	45
Chronic Kidney Disease	32
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	24
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	32
Dementia	17
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	117

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	98
Female	92

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	134
Black	0
Hispanic	22
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	78
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	22
Less than 65	34

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2015

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	17
Osteoperosis	22
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2016 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, minimally invasive procedures and decompression surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	13
decompression surgery	13
doctor visit	191
minimally invasive procedures	13
nerve procedures	13
spinal procedures	26

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	73
Female	69

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	102
Black	0
Hispanic	19
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	64
From 75 to 84	44
85 and over	16
Less than 65	18

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2016

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	23
Dementia	13
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2017 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	20
decompression surgery	39
doctor visit	402
minimally invasive procedures	20
nerve procedures	39
spinal procedures	99

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	127
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	207
Black	15
Hispanic	32
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	115
From 75 to 84	90
85 and over	30
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2017

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	28
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	24
Dementia	14
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2018 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	36
decompression surgery	37
doctor visit	481
minimally invasive procedures	36
nerve procedures	37
spinal procedures	140

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	145
Female	157

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	230
Black	0
Hispanic	31
Asian	20
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	135
From 75 to 84	106
85 and over	29
Less than 65	32

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2018

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	41
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	31
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	27
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	23
Dementia	13
Cancer	17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2019 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	33
decompression surgery	48
doctor visit	553
minimally invasive procedures	33
nerve procedures	48
spinal procedures	125

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	176
Female	176

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	283
Black	0
Hispanic	27
Asian	19
Other	12
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	178
From 75 to 84	95
85 and over	33
Less than 65	46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2019

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	38
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	21
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	25
Dementia	10
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2020 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	33
decompression surgery	46
doctor visit	517
minimally invasive procedures	33
nerve procedures	46
spinal procedures	137

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	148
Female	162

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	247
Black	0
Hispanic	28
Asian	0
Other	14
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	148
From 75 to 84	106
85 and over	21
Less than 65	35

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2020

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	22
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	25
Dementia	9
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2021 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	34
decompression surgery	52
doctor visit	534
minimally invasive procedures	34
nerve procedures	52
spinal procedures	166

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	164
Female	191

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	283
Black	0
Hispanic	31
Asian	0
Other	20
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	162
From 75 to 84	127
85 and over	26
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2021

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	20
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	26
Dementia	10
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA during 2022 were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	58
decompression surgery	65
doctor visit	486
minimally invasive procedures	22
neck surgery	35
nerve procedures	65
spinal procedures	173

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	156
Female	188

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	277
Black	0
Hispanic	25
Asian	0
Other	20
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	170
From 75 to 84	129
85 and over	15
Less than 65	30

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD in 2022

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	16
Osteoperosis	30
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	24
Dementia	6
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated as an orthopedist in San Diego, CA were spinal procedures, nerve procedures, decompression surgery and neck surgery.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery)	29
decompression surgery	42
doctor visit	324
minimally invasive procedures	25
neck surgery	35
nerve procedures	42
spinal procedures	100

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

**Gender**
Male	106
Female	114

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	1
Asian / Pacific Islander	3
Non-Hispanic White	170
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	19
Other	6

**Age**
75 to 84	72
85 and over	17
Less than 65	25
65 to 74	101

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and depression.

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	2
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	9
Osteoporosis	20
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	23
Atrial Fibrillation	8
Dementia	8
Cancer	11

Education & Training

Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine. He completed residency at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the general orthopaedics and has a state license in California.

Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine

Residency: University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Affiliated Hospitals

Board Certification: general orthopaedics

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UC San Diego Health

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.78 out of 5 stars based on 346 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD from all over the web to help you find the right in San Diego, CA.

4.78

Overall Rating

(346 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.	$230,569 BRAINLAB $81,071	Symphony $71,878	VIPER $41,440	LIFENET VIVIGEN $16,995	Spine & Trauma 3D Navigation $4,725	Other $14,459
DePuy Orthopaedics Inc.	$122,245 Spine $92,677	BRAINLAB $11,250	LIFENET VIVIGEN $10,300	SKYLINE $8,000	Biomaterials $18
DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.	$112,357 VIPER $8,825	Fibulink $7,343	$96,189
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.	$38,340 Symphony $13,534	Spine $7,383	VIPER $3,997	COUGAR $1,469	CONDUIT $1,255	Other $10,701
Prosidyan, Inc	$10,676 $10,676
Other	$19,411 Excelsius3D Imaging System $2,410	Thoracolumbar $755	XLIF $711	ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System $315	ALIF $273	Other $14,948

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$372,205
Acquisitions	$102,956
Travel and Lodging	$29,671
Food and Beverage	$28,765

Research Payments

Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD has received 31 research payments totaling $159,757.

Ownership and Interest Payments

This table describes ownership payments received by Dr. Richard Todd Allen, MD, PHD.

Prosidyan, Inc	2021	$37,500.00	Physician Covered Recipient	Traditional pro rata ownership interest; no special terms
Prosidyan, Inc	2020	$37,500.00	Physician Covered Recipient	Traditional pro rata ownership interest; no special terms
Prosidyan, Inc	2018	$37,500.00	Physician Covered Recipient	Traditional pro rata ownership interest; no special terms
Prosidyan, Inc	2017	$20,000.00	Physician Covered Recipient	Traditional pro rata ownership interest; no special terms

Biography

Dr. Richard Allen works as a general practice and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. Patients gave Dr. Allen an average rating of 5.0 stars (out of 5). Areas of particular interest for Dr. Allen include scoliosis and musculoskeletal problems. He is affiliated with UC San Diego Health and Regents of the University of California. He studied medicine at Creighton University School of Medicine. For his residency, Dr. Allen trained at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).