How to Find Orthopedic Surgeons by Zip Code
Data sourced from live CMS NPI Registry API v2.1 queries, run June 12, 2026. All provider counts are real API responses. Raw query results are available for download. See methodology below.
taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery — British spelling, not American. The American spelling "Orthopedic Surgery" returns zero results; confirmed June 12, 2026. This is the most consequential spelling error in NPI data collection because orthopedics is one of the largest U.S. surgical specialties — a wrong-spelling query silently misses thousands of providers. This guide covers real counts from 9 markets, the full subspecialty taxonomy table (7 distinct codes), and the Memphis dataset broken down by subspecialty.
taxonomy_description=Orthopedic+Surgery (American spelling) returns zero results — confirmed June 12, 2026. The correct string is Orthopaedic+Surgery (British spelling with "ae"). This affects every NPI tool, script, and workflow that uses the American spelling as the filter. Memphis returned 156 records with the correct spelling and 0 with the incorrect one.
Orthopaedic Surgery in the NPI registry: real counts from 9 markets
Orthopaedic Surgery is the densest specialty in this guide — Nashville and Phoenix both hit the 200-record cap, and Wyoming statewide returned 183. We queried June 12, 2026.
| Market | Query scope | NPI records returned | At 200-record cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Los Angeles, CA | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Chicago, IL | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Houston, TX | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Phoenix, AZ | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Nashville, TN | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Memphis, TN | City filter | 156 | No (complete) |
| Vermont (statewide) | State filter | 119 | No (complete) |
| Wyoming (statewide) | State filter | 183 | No (complete) |
Source: CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery, limit=200. Queried June 12, 2026.
Orthopaedic subspecialties: the complete taxonomy table
Orthopaedic Surgery has the richest subspecialty taxonomy in this guide — 7 distinct NUCC codes,
all with 200+ national records. A standard Orthopaedic Surgery query returns the
full mixed set; filter by taxonomy description to isolate specific subspecialties.
| Subspecialty | taxonomy_description value | NUCC code | Memphis count (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General orthopaedic surgeon | Orthopaedic Surgery |
207X00000X | 78 of 156 |
| Sports medicine orthopaedist | Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine |
207XS0106X | 24 of 156 |
| Spine surgeon | Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine |
207XS0117X | 14 of 156 |
| Hand surgeon | Hand Surgery |
207XH0101X | 11 of 156 |
| Foot and ankle surgeon | Foot and Ankle Surgery |
207XX0004X | 10 of 156 |
| Pediatric orthopaedic surgeon | Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery |
207XP3100X | 7 of 156 |
| Orthopaedic trauma surgeon | Orthopaedic Trauma |
207XT0005X | 0 at city level (200+ nationally) |
How to search for orthopedic surgeons by zip code (5 steps)
Choose your search method
- NPI registry directly at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov — free, no account, city or state filter only. No radius.
- getdork Physician Search — same CMS API with zip-radius filtering, British spelling pre-mapped, CSV export with taxonomy column. Search orthopedic surgeons by ZIP →
Use the British spelling: Orthopaedic Surgery
The exact API parameter is taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery. The American
spelling Orthopedic+Surgery returns zero results. The numeric NUCC code
207X00000X is silently ignored.
getdork maps "orthopedic" or "orthopaedic" to the correct API string automatically — the spelling issue is resolved at the tooling layer.
Identify which subspecialties are in your territory plan
The 156-record Memphis dataset breaks down clearly: ~50% general orthopaedics, ~15% sports medicine, ~9% spine, ~7% hand, ~6% foot & ankle, ~5% pediatric. Use the taxonomy description column in exported results to segment your call list by product focus before CRM import.
If orthopaedic trauma is a specific target (fracture fixation, external fixators),
run Orthopaedic+Trauma as a separate query — it did not appear in the Memphis
city dataset but returned 200+ nationally.
Set radius — orthopaedics is the densest specialty in this guide
Recommended starting radii:
- Dense urban (NYC, Chicago, LA): 5–15 miles
- Mid-metro (Memphis, Nashville, Phoenix): 15–25 miles — even Memphis at 25 miles risks pulling in providers from the next territory over given the high density
- Rural (Wyoming, Vermont): 50 miles — Wyoming returned 183 statewide; density is reasonable even in rural markets
Export to CSV (Pro) and segment by subspecialty
Pro users export the complete result set. The taxonomy description column is the key field for segmenting by subspecialty. Sort by taxonomy before importing to your CRM to route joint replacement records to the implant rep, spine records to the spine hardware rep, and sports medicine records to the biologics or arthroscopy rep.
Direct API queries
# Orthopaedic surgeons in Memphis, TN — returned 156 records (June 2026) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery &city=Memphis &state=TN &limit=200 # FAILS — American spelling returns zero results, confirmed June 2026 https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Orthopedic+Surgery &city=Memphis &state=TN &limit=200 # Spine surgeons only — separate query for orthopaedic spine subspecialty https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery+of+the+Spine &state=TN &limit=200 # Orthopaedic trauma — separate query, did not appear in Memphis city dataset https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Trauma &state=TN &limit=200
Radius guidance for orthopaedic surgery territories
| Market type | Recommended starting radius | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Dense urban (NYC, Chicago, LA) | 5–15 miles | All four large metros hit the 200-cap; orthopaedics is high-density — tight radius prevents over-reach into adjacent territories |
| Mid-metro (Memphis, Nashville, Phoenix) | 15–25 miles | Memphis returned 156 for the city alone; 25 miles adds suburban ASCs and orthopedic group practices without doubling the count |
| Rural (Wyoming, Vermont) | 50 miles | Wyoming: 183 statewide; Vermont: 119 statewide. Better density than endocrinology — a 50-mile radius is practical and returns a workable call plan. |
getdork maps the query to
Orthopaedic Surgery automatically so you do not need to
remember the British spelling. The exported CSV includes the taxonomy description column for
subspecialty segmentation before CRM import. Free to preview; Pro for the full list.
Search orthopedic surgeons by ZIP code — free →
Frequently asked questions
Why does "Orthopedic Surgery" (American spelling) return zero results from the NPI API?
The CMS NUCC taxonomy uses the British spelling "Orthopaedic Surgery" — confirmed June 12, 2026. The American spelling returns zero results; the API performs exact string matching. This is arguably the most consequential spelling error in NPI data collection because orthopedics is one of the largest U.S. surgical specialties. Memphis returned 156 records with the correct spelling and 0 with the incorrect one.
Does a standard Orthopaedic Surgery query include sports medicine orthopedists?
Yes. In Memphis, 24 of 156 records showed "Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine" as primary
taxonomy — they appear in the main query. Note that Sports+Medicine as a standalone
query also returns non-surgical sports medicine practitioners (primary care, family medicine);
of Memphis's 47 Sports Medicine records, only the subset with an Orthopaedic Surgery parent
taxonomy are orthopedic surgeons.
How many distinct orthopaedic subspecialties are in the NPI taxonomy?
Seven: Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine, Hand Surgery, Foot and Ankle Surgery, Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma, and Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. In Memphis, six of the seven appeared as primary taxonomies in the 156-record dataset (Adult Reconstructive did not appear at city level). All seven returned 200+ records nationally.
Why did Wyoming return 183 orthopaedic records — more than some larger metro city queries?
Wyoming's 183 statewide query captures all Wyoming cities, while Memphis and Nashville are city-level filters. Wyoming also has high orthopaedic provider density relative to population — sports medicine and orthopaedic trauma coverage at regional centers and ski resort areas (Jackson Hole, Cody) drives this. Memphis's 156 city records still represent far higher per-ZIP density than Wyoming's 183 spread across the entire state.
What orthopaedic subspecialty has the highest provider count nationally?
Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine both returned 200+ records at the national API limit in June 2026, as did Hand Surgery and Orthopaedic Trauma. Among the Memphis 156 records, plain Orthopaedic Surgery (78) was the largest group, followed by Sports Medicine (24), Spine (14), Hand (11), Foot & Ankle (10), Pediatric (7).
What device products are relevant for an orthopaedic surgery territory list?
Joint replacement implants (hip, knee, shoulder), spine implants (pedicle screws, interbody cages, disc replacements), sports medicine biologics (PRP, bone marrow aspirate), arthroscopy implants and equipment (anchors, meniscus repair, shoulder instability), fracture fixation hardware (plates, rods, screws), bone growth stimulators, and surgical navigation systems. The subspecialty taxonomy column in exported NPI data lets you match device category to the right provider segment.
Data methodology
All provider counts come from direct queries to the CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, run on
June 12, 2026. We used taxonomy_description=Orthopaedic+Surgery
and limit=200. No authentication required.
When result_count equals 200 the actual total exceeds 200 and is unknown from this endpoint. Counts below 200 are exact totals.
Raw responses: npi-orthopaedic-memphis-tn-raw.json, npi-orthopaedic-wyoming-raw.json. Collection script: _data/npi-counts-orthopaedic.ps1.
Related guides
- How to search the NPI registry (full guide) — complete API reference and the taxonomy_description quirk explained.
- What is an NPI number and what can you look up? — NPI types, fields, and data freshness.
- How to find physicians by specialty and state — state-level NPI searches across specialties.
- How to find urologists by zip code — another surgical specialty guide with Pediatric split notes.
- How to find dermatologists by zip code — the MOHS-Micrographic Surgery spelling gotcha.