NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program NPI 1780909200 MD
Verify on CMS → Cristina Lara-Castro, MD
Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program in Columbia, South Carolina.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 351,014 in Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program, and covers specialty classification, practice address, and Medicare Part D prescribing data when reported. According to CMS, every field reflects the provider's official federal registration, see our methodology.
Federal data, no proprietary rating.
We show these CMS records as-is - no composite score, no star rating, no editorial opinion layered on top.
Prescribing volume
361
Medicare Part D claims · 182 beneficiaries · Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program avg: 488
MIPS score
99.3/100
▲ 16 pts above national avg 83.5 · Exceptional
What the federal data shows
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 99.3/100 - above the 83.5 national average - and filed 361 Medicare Part D claims in 2024.
- 99.3/100
- MIPS score · +16 vs avg
- 361
- Part D claims, 2024
- ≥91st
- pct among measured MIPS (lower-bound band)
Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records (NPPES, Medicare Part D, MIPS, Open Payments) - no proprietary rating or editorial opinion is applied.
Federal trust snapshot
What official records show about Cristina Lara-Castro, MD
Federal records show an active NPI with both Medicare prescribing volume and a measured CMS quality score — objective registry data, not patient reviews.
- Verified
NPI registry status
Active listing in the CMS National Provider Identifier Registry (NPI 1780909200), first enumerated 03/29/2010.
Source: CMS NPPES
- Reported
Medicare Part D participation
Filed 361 Medicare Part D prescription claims in the 2023 CMS public use file — indicates active Medicare prescribing participation.
Source: CMS Part D Prescriber PUF
- Reported
CMS quality reporting (MIPS)
Reported a CMS MIPS final score of 99.3/100 in the Quality Payment Program — a federal quality measure, not a patient review.
Source: CMS Quality Payment Program
- Reported
Hospital affiliations
1 CMS Care Compare hospital affiliation on record — practice footprint from the Doctors and Clinicians file.
Source: CMS Care Compare
- Not in federal data
Individual sanction lookup
PlainDoctor does not publish per-provider disciplinary determinations. Confirm current license and any individual actions through the state medical board or FSMB verification service.
Source: State medical board / FSMB
This trust snapshot summarizes only what appears in federal CMS/NPPES public records. It is not a composite score, star rating, patient review, or clinical recommendation. PlainDoctor never fabricates reviews or AggregateRating schema.
CMS NPPES provider registry desk
NPI 1780909200 · Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program
NPI-10 · ENUM-MID · TAX-MEGA · MIPS-ELITE · RX-LIGHT · BOOK-LIGHT · PHOTO-FINISH
- NPI-10 1780909200
- ENUM-MID 2010
- TAX-MEGA 351K Student in
- MIPS-ELITE 99.3/100
- RX-LIGHT 361
- BOOK-LIGHT 2,752 in South Carolina
- PHOTO-FINISH Fatima Bardales-Delg… · ±0.0
MIPS final-score neighbourhood
Same-specialty nationwide peers by CMS final score, not geographic proximity
- Lara-Castro · th…
Lara-Castro · this provider
99.3 MIPS pts
- Gregory Barone ·…
Gregory Barone
99.3 MIPS pts
- Bhisit Changchar…
Bhisit Changcharoen
99.3 MIPS pts
- Johanna Goodwin …
Johanna Goodwin
99.3 MIPS pts
- Fatima Bardales-…
Fatima Bardales-Delgado
99.3 MIPS pts
What this shows Nearest measured MIPS peers for this NUCC specialty (2023 performance year).
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's MIPS score vs every measured U.S. clinician
CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, 2023, the federal quality measure. Clinicians whose score CMS assigned without scoring any category are excluded.
99 ≥ 91st percentile 91% of 454,083 measured providers are in lower value bands
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more measured providers. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
The percentile is a conservative whole-score-point band: it counts only measured clinicians in lower score bands. A CMS MIPS metric is not a recommendation or a clinical-quality rating by PlainDoctor. See methodology § corpus placement.
Source CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) · 2023
Where Cristina Lara-Castro, MD sits
This provider among student in an organized health care education/training program peers
Across the 12,177 student in an organized health care education/training program providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, Cristina Lara-Castro, MD writes more Part D claims than 60% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 91% - placing this provider in the high-volume, high-quality quadrant. Volume reflects patient-panel size and specialty, not quality; the two axes are independent.
Each dot is one student in an organized health care education/training program peer from a representative sample of 60; the gold marker is Cristina Lara-Castro, MD. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.
What does the federal data show about Cristina Lara-Castro, MD?
High performer (top quartile)Primary specialty
Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program
Medicare Part D claims
361 26% vs specialty avg
MIPS final score
99.3/100 15.8 pts vs avg
Specialty distribution in South Carolina
How Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program compares to other specialties among South Carolina providers
Medicare quality performance, MIPS
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program national average
- MIPS Final Score
- 99.3/100
- vs 83.5 national avg · 2023 performance year
How MIPS and board certification work
The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores providers 0–100 across four performance categories: Quality, Cost, Promoting Interoperability, and Improvement Activities, weighted under 42 CFR §414.1380. Reporting is voluntary for many small practices, so absence of a MIPS score is not a quality signal.
Board certification through an ABMS or AOA member board signals voluntary post-licensure examination plus continuous Maintenance of Certification cycles. Verify any individual provider's status through certificationmatters.org (ABMS) or osteopathic.org (AOA).
Practice Address
Provider Details
| NPI | 1780909200 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program |
| Credentials | MD |
| Gender | Female |
| NPI Issued | 03/29/2010 |
CMS Quality Score (MIPS)
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.
99.3294
Final Score
Measured-score avg: 83.5
90.5979
Quality
100
Promoting Interoperability
Reporting: Alternative Payment Model
Hospital and facility affiliations
Facilities where Cristina Lara-Castro, MD bills Medicare from. Star ratings (1-5) are CMS Hospital Compare's "Hospital overall rating" - a composite of mortality, readmission, patient experience, safety, timely care, and efficient use of medical imaging measures. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Prisma Health Medical Group-Midlands
Columbia, SC
Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).
Medicare Part D Prescribing Data
CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2024.
361
Total Claims
$29K
Total Drug Cost
182
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 418.367
- Total Day Supply
- 8,192
- Generic Drug Cost
- $8K
- Opioid Claims
- 18 (5.0% rate)
- Antibiotic Claims
- 91
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 72.8 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 2.57
- Gender Split
- 67% female / 33% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 31, 65-74: 60, 75-84: 61, 85+: 30
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2024. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Cristina Lara-Castro, MD prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2024
- Amoxicillin-Clavul…
Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potass
23 claims
- Atorvastatin Calcium
Atorvastatin Calcium
18 claims
- Prednisone
Prednisone
17 claims
- Eliquis
Eliquis
14 claims
- Furosemide
Furosemide
14 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potass Amoxicillin/Potassium Clav | 23 |
| Atorvastatin Calcium | 18 |
| Prednisone | 17 |
| Eliquis Apixaban | 14 |
| Furosemide | 14 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
More Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program in SC →
All providers in South Carolina →
Compare specialties →
Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program Overview
How Cristina Lara-Castro, MD fits within the Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program landscape nationally.
351,014
Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program Providers in US
55
States with Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program
488
Avg Claims per Provider
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's 361 claims are below the specialty average of 488.
Nationwide Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program peers with similar MIPS or enrollment year
Two federal-record peer sets for Lara-Castro, both outside South Carolina so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Similar MIPS final score
Nearest same-specialty clinicians by CMS MIPS final score (99.3 here).
Same NPPES enumeration year (2010)
Same-specialty clinicians who entered the NPI registry in the same calendar year, outside this state.
Nearby Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program Providers in South Carolina
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in South Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Lara-Castro.
One of 2,752 Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program providers enrolled in South Carolina, 5 are shown here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's specialty? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD specializes in Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program and practices in Columbia, South Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does Cristina Lara-Castro, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2024, Cristina Lara-Castro, MD wrote 361 Medicare Part D claims totaling $29K in drug costs for 182 beneficiaries.
What is Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's Medicare quality score? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 99.3/100 (Quality: 90.6). The average MIPS Final Score across the 454,083 clinicians with at least one published category score is 83.5; clinicians whose score CMS assigned without scoring any category are excluded from that average. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Cristina Lara-Castro, MD located? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD is located at 14 RICHLAND MEDICAL PARK DR STE 320, Columbia, SC, 29203. Phone: (803) 434-6771.
What is Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's NPI number? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1780909200, issued on 03/29/2010.
Does Cristina Lara-Castro, MD prescribe opioids? ▼
Yes, Cristina Lara-Castro, MD had 18 opioid claims in 2024 with an opioid prescribing rate of 5.0%.
How many Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 351,014 Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program providers across 55 states in the US. The average Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program provider writes 488 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Cristina Lara-Castro, MD prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2024 Medicare Part D data, Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potass, Atorvastatin Calcium, Prednisone. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Cristina Lara-Castro, MD accept Medicare? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 361 Part D claims and 182 Medicare beneficiaries in 2024. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's credentials? ▼
Cristina Lara-Castro, MD's NPI is 1780909200 with credentials MD. You can verify this through the NPPES NPI Registry, check state medical board records, and confirm board certification through the ABMS or AOA.
Data Sources
View source datasets and methodology notes
- Provider Directory
- CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), download.cms.gov/nppes, updated monthly. Contains NPI, specialty, credentials, and practice location.
- Specialty Classification
- NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy (nucc.org), the industry standard for classifying provider specialties in Medicare and Medicaid billing.
- Prescribing Data
- CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File (2024). Includes claims, drug costs, beneficiaries, and opioid prescribing rates.
- Quality Performance
- CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) - 2023 performance year.
- Limitations
- Provider data is self-reported to CMS. Prescribing data reflects Medicare Part D only and does not include commercial insurance, Medicaid, or cash prescriptions. Claims below 11 beneficiaries are suppressed by CMS for privacy.
See our complete data methodology for details on how we collect and process government data.
Data as of August 2026 (NPPES) / 2024 (Medicare Part D). Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Disclaimer: Data from CMS NPPES and Medicare Part D. PlainDoctor does not rate or rank providers. Provider information is self-reported and may not be current. Always verify information directly with the provider. About · Methodology
Every figure on PlainDoctor is rendered directly from the federal CMS NPPES registry, Medicare Part D, MIPS, and Open Payments records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.