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Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD

(Dr. Stephen Josh Bell, M.D.)

(1 Rating)

Specializes in: Sports Medicine and Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (1997)

Professional interests include: fractures (broken bones), total knee replacement, minimally invasive procedures, and more.

2829 Babcock Road Suite 700
San Antonio, TX 78229

(210) 804-5400

Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD is a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX specializing in sports medicine and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. He graduated from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1997 and has 29 years of experience. Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD is affiliated with TSAOG Orthopaedics & Spine and THE SAN ANTONIO ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP LLP.

Office Locations

1422 East Grayson Street Suite 102
San Antonio, TX 78208

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2829 Babcock Road Suite 700
San Antonio, TX 78229

(210) 804-5400

(210) 804-5937

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3327 Research Plaza #215
San Antonio, TX 78235

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Some issues Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD can help you with:

Hip Replacement

Hip replacement is a surgical procedure to replace parts of the hip joint that are damaged by disease or injury. It is most often done to treat arthritis, a common condition that causes stiffness and pain in the joints. Surgery is used only after other, less invasive treatments have failed to work.

The type of hip replacement patients receive is based on their age and the extent of damage to their hip. The hip joint has two parts: the femoral head, or hip ball, and the acetabulum, or hip socket. The hip ball is located on the upper end of the femur (thigh bone), and the hip socket is part of the pelvis. Depending on whether one or both parts require replacement, patients may need one of the following procedures:

Partial hip replacement, which is generally recommended in the case of hip fractures or other hip injuries. If a patient is having a partial hip replacement, only the hip ball will be replaced.
Total hip replacement, which is often used to treat the hip joint when it has become damaged due to arthritis. Both the hip socket and hip ball are replaced.
Hip resurfacing, which is usually performed for younger patients. A hip resurfacing procedure reshapes the hip ball and only replaces its surface. This preserves more bone and makes future surgeries easier. If a patient is having a partial hip resurfacing, only the hip ball is resurfaced and replaced. If a patient is having a total hip resurfacing, the hip socket will be replaced as well.

During hip replacement surgery, an incision is made along the side of the hip. The surgeon may access the joint directly through this incision, or by using small tools and a lighted tube called an arthroscope to see and treat the joint. The diseased tissue is removed, and the bones are smoothed out and fitted with metal ends. The metal pieces may be cemented in place, or they may have a porous structure that encourages bone to grow into them and hold them securely. A smooth plastic cushion is placed between the two bones to replace the cartilage and allow the joint to move freely.

Hip replacement surgery takes one to two hours, and afterwards patients may stay in the hospital for several days. When patients go home, they will have to use a cane, walker, or crutches at first. Patients will likely have physical therapy to improve their ability to move with their new hip. After the first few weeks, light exercise such as bike riding or swimming will help them heal, but certain actions, such as climbing stairs or bending over at the waist, may be difficult at first. It will take several weeks before they can drive or return to work. Full recovery may take six to 12 months.

Replacement Arthroplasty (Joint Replacement)

Joint replacement, sometimes also called arthroplasty, is an option when a joint becomes severely damaged by disease or injury. The damaged cartilage of the joint is surgically removed, the ends of the bones in the joint are resurfaced, and a prosthetic is installed. Most prosthetic joints are made of a metal piece that fits into a plastic sleeve so that they glide smoothly. A joint replacement increases stability in the damaged area and decreases pain. The hip and knee are the two joints most commonly replaced, but joint replacement can also be performed on the ankle, shoulder, elbow and even fingers.

Although joint replacement is one of the safest and most reliable medical procedures available, it is still a major surgical procedure. All surgical procedures carry risks, such as infection or blood clots. For this reason, doctors try to help their patients avoid surgery for as long as they can. Taking arthritis medications, losing weight, avoiding high impact sports such as running, taking supplements such as glucosamine or chondroitin, or having joint injections may allow a patient to enjoy life without the need for surgery.

After having joint replacement surgery, patients can expect some pain the first few days as they recover. Physical therapy is an important part of recovery, and it can decrease complications and increase future mobility. As soon as possible, returning to low impact sports such as swimming, walking or biking can stretch and heal the new joint. A prosthetic joint can last 15 - 20 years and cannot be further damaged by degenerative diseases such as arthritis, so once it is done patients should be pain-free for many years.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2023

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

Top 25%

By Volume:

knee X-ray

major joint aspiration

major joint injection

By Affordability:

In 2012, among providers in related specialties within Texas, Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD performed more knee X-ray, major joint aspiration, and major joint injection procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of them and he also had a list price for ankle MRI, hip MRI, joint MRI, knee MRI, and lower extremity MRI 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. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2012 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	193
doctor visit	504
hip imaging	61
hospital care	36
injections	193
inpatient care	36
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	17
musculoskeletal imaging	164
pelvic imaging	23
X-rays	170

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2013 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	203
doctor visit	572
hip imaging	79
hospital care	32
injections	203
inpatient care	32
joint surgery	11
lower extremity surgery	11
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	15
musculoskeletal imaging	218
pelvic imaging	33
reconstructive surgery	11
X-rays	236

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	106
Female	220

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	185
Black	0
Hispanic	104
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	147
From 75 to 84	92
85 and over	32
Less than 65	55

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2013

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	7
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	40
Dementia	14
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2014 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	241
doctor visit	780
fracture surgery	11
hip imaging	119
hospital care	35
immobilization	18
injections	241
inpatient care	35
joint surgery	14
lower extremity surgery	25
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	28
musculoskeletal imaging	323
pelvic imaging	46
reconstructive surgery	14
spinal procedures	12
X-rays	353

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	108
Female	247

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	214
Black	0
Hispanic	117
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	156
From 75 to 84	100
85 and over	33
Less than 65	66

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	40
Dementia	12
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2015 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	256
doctor visit	843
hip imaging	92
hospital care	17
immobilization	16
injections	256
inpatient care	17
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	40
musculoskeletal imaging	248
pelvic imaging	31
X-rays	239

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	278
Female	474

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	412
Black	0
Hispanic	280
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	352
From 75 to 84	170
85 and over	64
Less than 65	166

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2015

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	6
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	40
Dementia	10
Cancer	6

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2016 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	331
doctor visit	898
hip imaging	23
hospital care	16
injections	331
inpatient care	16
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	38
musculoskeletal imaging	219
X-rays	181

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	142
Female	259

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	236
Black	29
Hispanic	125
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	203
From 75 to 84	100
85 and over	31
Less than 65	67

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	6
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	40
Dementia	10
Cancer	6

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2017 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	277
doctor visit	779
injections	277
joint surgery	13
lower extremity surgery	13
musculoskeletal imaging	179
reconstructive surgery	13
X-rays	179

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	149
Female	246

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	237
Black	0
Hispanic	114
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	219
From 75 to 84	84
85 and over	39
Less than 65	53

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2017

Hypertension	72
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	5
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	40
Dementia	12
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2018 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	302
decompression surgery	11
doctor visit	902
hip imaging	11
immobilization	20
injections	302
joint surgery	55
lower extremity surgery	32
minimally invasive procedures	23
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	26
musculoskeletal imaging	231
reconstructive surgery	32
upper extremity surgery	23
X-rays	205

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	177
Female	285

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	284
Black	39
Hispanic	122
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	255
From 75 to 84	118
85 and over	39
Less than 65	50

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2018

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	7
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	35
Dementia	11
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2019 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	349
doctor visit	795
injections	349
joint surgery	36
lower extremity surgery	36
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	12
musculoskeletal imaging	216
pelvic imaging	19
reconstructive surgery	36
rehabilitation	31
X-rays	223

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	181
Female	298

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	305
Black	0
Hispanic	134
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	248
From 75 to 84	140
85 and over	43
Less than 65	48

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	39
Dementia	10
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2020 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	272
doctor visit	706
hip imaging	11
injections	272
joint surgery	19
lower extremity surgery	19
manual therapy	32
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	11
musculoskeletal imaging	170
reconstructive surgery	19
rehabilitation	87
X-rays	159

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	168
Female	250

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	245
Black	0
Hispanic	139
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	229
From 75 to 84	111
85 and over	27
Less than 65	51

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2020

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	7
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	36
Dementia	9
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2021 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	360
doctor visit	811
hip imaging	17
injections	360
joint surgery	36
lower extremity surgery	36
manual therapy	29
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	17
musculoskeletal imaging	172
reconstructive surgery	36
rehabilitation	68
X-rays	155

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	144
Female	266

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	242
Black	0
Hispanic	134
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	220
From 75 to 84	123
85 and over	30
Less than 65	37

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2021

Hypertension	69
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	33
Dementia	9
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX during 2022 were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	266
doctor visit	690
hip imaging	14
injections	266
joint surgery	22
lower extremity surgery	22
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	14
musculoskeletal imaging	189
reconstructive surgery	22
X-rays	175

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	128
Female	269

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	259
Black	0
Hispanic	111
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	214
From 75 to 84	123
85 and over	30
Less than 65	30

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	21
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	31
Dementia	5
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated as a sports medicine doctor in San Antonio, TX were aspiration, injections, musculoskeletal imaging and X-rays.

aspiration	277
decompression surgery	11
doctor visit	752
fracture surgery	11
hip imaging	47
hospital care	27
immobilization	18
injections	277
inpatient care	27
joint surgery	25
lower extremity surgery	24
manual therapy	30
minimally invasive procedures	23
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	21
musculoskeletal imaging	211
pelvic imaging	30
reconstructive surgery	22
rehabilitation	62
spinal procedures	12
upper extremity surgery	23
X-rays	206

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD.

**Gender**
Male	143
Female	255

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	6
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	238
Hispanic	125
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	105
85 and over	33
Less than 65	56
65 to 74	203

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	8
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	34
Atrial Fibrillation	6
Cancer	7
Dementia	9

Education & Training

Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD graduated from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1997. He completed residency at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He has a state license in Texas.

Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (1997)

Residency: Naval Medical Center San Diego

Licensed In: Texas

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

TSAOG Orthopaedics & Spine

THE SAN ANTONIO ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP LLP

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in San Antonio, TX.

Overall Rating

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Reviews Left On DocSpot

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-10-28

He is a great & kind doctor

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Stephen J. Bell, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Stryker Corporation	$3,879 Mako $2,120	Hip Arthroscopy Access & Instrumentation Set $588	ACCOLADE $363	None $304	NA $168	Other $335
Medinc of Texas	$1,138 $1,138
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.	$828 Orthopaedics $767	Early Intervention $24	HEALIX $20	MONOVISC $17
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.	$226 EUFLEXXA $226
Vericel Corporation	$125 MACI $125
Other	$545 FORTEO $111	PENNSAID $99	Zilretta $85	Sports Med Shoulder $31	RAYOS $30	Other $188

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$2,941
Travel and Lodging	$2,662
Education	$1,138

Biography

Dr. Stephen Bell specializes in orthopedics/orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. His clinical interests include minimally invasive knee replacement, knee arthroscopy, and ACL injury. He is professionally affiliated with TSAOG Orthopaedics & Spine. Dr. Bell graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and then he performed his residency at Naval Medical Center San Diego.