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Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD

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Specializes in: Adult Nephrology

University of Michigan Medical School

Professional interests include: kidney failure, dialysis, kidney problems, and more.

300 Pasteur Drive Floor 1 Suite A11
Palo Alto, CA 94305

(650) 723-6961

Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD is a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA specializing in adult nephrology. She graduated from University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD is affiliated with Stanford Health Care.

Office Locations

Stanford Health Care

2518 Mission College Boulevard Suite 101
Santa Clara, CA 95054

(408) 688-9720

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Stanford Health Care

300 Pasteur Drive Floor 1 Suite A11
Palo Alto, CA 94305

(650) 723-6961

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900 Blake Wilbur Drive Floor 2, Kidney Clinic (nephrology) In Palo Alto
Palo Alto, CA 94304

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300 Pasteur Drive A160
Palo Alto, CA 94304

(650) 723-6961

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Some issues Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD can help you with:

Dialysis

Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.

A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:

Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
Pyelonephritis, recurring kidney infection
Glomerulonephritis, inflammation of the kidney's filtering parts
Polycystic kidney disease
Interstitial nephritis, inflammation of the kidney's tubules
High blood pressure
Vesicoureteral reflux, improper bladder emptying

For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.

A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.

Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard deposits that form in the kidneys, made up of minerals that are normally present in urine. They can vary in size, from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a nickel, occasionally even larger. Sometimes they lodge in the kidney, and sometimes they break free and make their way out through the urinary tract, which can be extremely painful.

Kidney stones can be smooth or jagged and are yellow to brown in color. They are mostly comprised of the minerals calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus. Examining the stones to see what they are made of can show what caused the stone to be formed in the first place. For example, a stone made of mostly calcium, which is the most common type, can happen any time the urine becomes too concentrated due to dehydration or a blockage in the kidney. A uric acid stone forms when acid levels in the urine get too high, usually due to excessive consumption of animal protein such as meat and fish. A struvite stone is a sign of certain infections, and a cystine stone can be due to a genetic disorder that raises the risk of kidney stones.

The most common symptom of kidney stones is pain, either in the back or lower abdomen, or severe pain when urinating. There may also be blood in the urine. Treatment for kidney stones depends on how large the stone is. Very small stones can pass out of the body on their own, and they do not require treatment other than drinking adequate water and taking pain killers. Larger stones need to be broken apart and removed. The main treatment options are:

Shock wave lithotripsy, which uses sound wave vibrations to break apart the stone
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or the use of a very tiny tool (like a wire inserted through the back) to break apart and remove the stone
Ureteroscopy, a thin tube inserted through the urethra and bladder to the stone, where tiny tools can grasp the stone and remove

People who have had one kidney stone are at risk of developing another. To reduce this risk, patients are given instructions specific to the type of stone they developed. Generally the instructions will include drinking more water to dilute the urine, but it may also involve lowering sodium intake or eating less meat.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	33
doctor visit	95
hospital care	286
inpatient care	286

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2013 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	70
hospital care	107
inpatient care	107

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	46
Female	58

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	50
Black	0
Hispanic	15
Asian	26
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	32
From 75 to 84	32
85 and over	13
Less than 65	27

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	49
Dementia	11
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2014 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	15
doctor visit	114
hospital care	196
inpatient care	196

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	66
Female	80

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	61
Black	0
Hispanic	30
Asian	36
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	54
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	15
Less than 65	44

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	55
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	16
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	51
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	59
Dementia	12
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	34
doctor visit	133
hospital care	337
inpatient care	337

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	194
Female	190

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	178
Black	0
Hispanic	60
Asian	94
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	116
From 75 to 84	88
85 and over	44
Less than 65	136

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	74
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	19
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	50
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	56
Dementia	16
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2016 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	33
doctor visit	153
hospital care	222
inpatient care	222

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	90
Female	81

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	76
Black	0
Hispanic	28
Asian	40
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	67
From 75 to 84	46
85 and over	15
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	25
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	49
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	55
Dementia	18
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	16
doctor visit	114
hospital care	247
inpatient care	247

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	83
Female	89

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	76
Black	0
Hispanic	27
Asian	48
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	64
From 75 to 84	41
85 and over	14
Less than 65	53

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	53
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	52
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	56
Dementia	23
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	50
doctor visit	117
hemofiltration	31
hospital care	181
inpatient care	181

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	89
Female	75

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	70
Black	0
Hispanic	32
Asian	38
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	65
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	54

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	59
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	26
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	50
Dementia	27
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	64
doctor visit	117
hemofiltration	30
hospital care	228
inpatient care	228

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	98
Female	91

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	89
Black	0
Hispanic	31
Asian	42
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	77
From 75 to 84	44
85 and over	18
Less than 65	50

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	62
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	50
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	52
Dementia	25
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	64
doctor visit	152
hemofiltration	39
hospital care	290
inpatient care	290

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	101
Female	116

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	110
Black	0
Hispanic	34
Asian	47
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	65
85 and over	22
Less than 65	54

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	17
Ischemic Heart Disease	59
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	25
Heart Failure	57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	53
Dementia	28
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	72
doctor visit	197
hemofiltration	53
hospital care	356
inpatient care	356

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	109
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	109
Black	0
Hispanic	51
Asian	66
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	95
From 75 to 84	77
85 and over	26
Less than 65	59

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	73
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	60
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	15
Atrial Fibrilation	25
Heart Failure	51
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	57
Dementia	26
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA during 2022 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	77
doctor visit	167
hemofiltration	48
hospital care	363
inpatient care	363

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	146
Female	132

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	129
Black	20
Hispanic	49
Asian	67
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	106
From 75 to 84	76
85 and over	43
Less than 65	53

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	23
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	40
Heart Failure	49
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	58
Dementia	16
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated as a nephrologist in Santa Clara, CA were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

dialysis	45
doctor visit	129
hemofiltration	40
hospital care	255
inpatient care	255

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD.

**Gender**
Male	92
Female	96

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	1
Asian / Pacific Islander	45
Non-Hispanic White	86
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	32
Other	1

**Age**
75 to 84	45
85 and over	19
Less than 65	52
65 to 74	68

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD treated were chronic kidney disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	45
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	49
Atrial Fibrillation	20
Dementia	18
Cancer	9

Education & Training

Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD graduated from University of Michigan Medical School. She completed residency at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology and has a state license in California.

Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School

Residency: University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Affiliated Hospitals

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Stanford Health Care

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Janssen Research & Development, LLC	$158,282 INVOKANA $132,326	$25,956
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.	$14,400 Non-Covered $12,000	$2,400
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP	$3,476 FARXIGA $2,476	$1,000
Novo Nordisk AS	$620 $620
Ablative Solutions, Inc.	$125 $125
Other	$128 $128

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$173,402
Travel and Lodging	$1,471
Food and Beverage	$1,158
Grant	$1,000

Research Payments

Dr. Tara I-Hsin Chang, MD has received 14 research payments totaling $3,450.

Biography

Dr. Tara Chang's specialty is adult nephrology. Her areas of expertise include the following: polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones, and glomerulonephritis. Dr. Chang is professionally affiliated with Stanford Health Care. She attended the University of Michigan Medical School and subsequently trained at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) for residency.