NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Cardiovascular Disease Physician NPI 1508867516 MD
Verify on CMS → Ghassan Alkoutami, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician in Hickory, North 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 24,795 in Cardiovascular Disease Physician, 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
11K
Medicare Part D claims · 2K beneficiaries · Cardiovascular Disease Physician avg: 3K
Generic prescribing
81%
generic claims · 19% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
75/100
▼ 8 pts below national avg 83.1 · Above neutral
Industry payments
$1.3K
46 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2023
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.
What the federal data shows
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 75/100 - below the 83.1 national average - and filed 11,045 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.
- 75/100
- MIPS score · -8 vs avg
- 11K
- Part D claims, 2023
- 81%
- generic prescribing
- Likely
- board-certified (heuristic)
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.
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's MIPS score vs every scored U.S. clinician
CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, 2023, the federal quality measure
75 15th percentile higher than 15% of 477,587 scored providers
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored 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.
Source CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) · 2023
Where Ghassan Alkoutami, MD sits
This provider among cardiovascular disease physician peers
Across the 8,753 cardiovascular disease physician providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, Ghassan Alkoutami, MD writes more Part D claims than 97% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 13% - placing this provider in the high-volume, lower-quality quadrant. Volume reflects patient-panel size and specialty, not quality; the two axes are independent.
Part D claim volume vs MIPS quality, by specialty percentile
Each dot is one cardiovascular disease physician peer from a representative sample of 60; the gold marker is Ghassan Alkoutami, MD. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.
✓
Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 1 hospital affiliation - signals consistent with board-certified status. For verified board certification, see CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).
What does the federal data show about Ghassan Alkoutami, MD?
Below national averagePrimary specialty
Cardiovascular Disease Physician
Medicare Part D claims
11,045 264% vs specialty avg
MIPS final score
75/100 8.1 pts vs avg
Specialty distribution in North Carolina
How Cardiovascular Disease Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers
Medicare quality performance, MIPS
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Cardiovascular Disease Physician national average
- MIPS Final Score
- 75/100
- vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year
MIPS final score (Cardiovascular Disease Physician) - 75/100 vs national avg 83.1
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).
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Cardiovascular Disease Physician provider holding MD credentials at 2660 TATE BLVD SE, Hickory, NC, 28602, with a listed phone of (828) 216-0009. NPI 1508867516 was issued on 08/02/2005.
Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 11,045 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 1,969 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $2.0 million in drug spend, split 19% brand-name and 81% generic by claim count. On the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, this provider earned a Final Score of 75/100 for the 2023 performance year, compared with the national average of 83.1.
Cardiovascular Disease Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 24,795 enrolled providers across 54 states and an average of 3,033 Part D claims per prescriber, so the context for interpreting these metrics differs meaningfully from a primary-care baseline.
Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available government data, not medical advice, a malpractice database, or a quality rating. Inclusion here does not imply a recommendation, and absence of complaints or sanctions on this page does not mean none exist, always verify credentials through the NPPES NPI Registry, your state medical board, and the ABMS or AOA before making healthcare decisions.
Practice Address
Provider Details
| NPI | 1508867516 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Cardiovascular Disease Physician |
| Credentials | MD |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 08/02/2005 |
CMS Quality Score (MIPS)
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.
75
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
Reporting: Alternative Payment Model
Hospital and facility affiliations
Facilities where Ghassan Alkoutami, 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.
Dlp Frye Medical Group LLC
Lincolnton, NC
Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).
Industry payments received (2024) - CMS Open Payments transparency data
The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act (part of the Affordable Care Act) requires drug and medical-device manufacturers + group purchasing organizations to publicly report payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals. The data below covers 2024 for Ghassan Alkoutami, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
Total received
$1.3K
Largest payer
ShockWave Medical, Inc
Most common payment type
Food and Beverage
Industry payments are not necessarily indicators of bias, they include research funding, consulting fees for evidence-based work, royalties for inventions, food at conferences, and similar items. The disclosure exists for transparency. Read our methodology for how we interpret this data.
Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD - brand share 19.0%
Cardiovascular Disease Physician average
19% brand-name claims vs 81% generic, on 11,045 2023 Medicare Part D claims.
The federal Medicare Part D Generic Dispensing Rate national benchmark sits near 90% generic / 10% brand for primary-care prescribers, per CMS Office of the Actuary 2024 estimates. Higher brand share is common in specialty prescribing where generic equivalents are not available.
Medicare Part D Prescribing Data
CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.
11,045
Total Claims
$2.0M
Total Drug Cost
1,969
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 23,751
- Total Day Supply
- 708,199
- Brand vs Generic
- 19% brand / 81% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $1.8M
- Generic Drug Cost
- $200K
- Antibiotic Claims
- 15
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 74.9 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.63
- Gender Split
- 50% female / 50% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 185, 65-74: 735, 75-84: 788, 85+: 261
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Ghassan Alkoutami, MD prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Eliquis
Eliquis
1,235 claims
- Metoprolol Succinate
Metoprolol Succinate
975 claims
- Atorvastatin Calcium
Atorvastatin Calcium
686 claims
- Isosorbide Mononit…
Isosorbide Mononitrate Er
640 claims
- Carvedilol
Carvedilol
637 claims
- Amlodipine Besylate
Amlodipine Besylate
613 claims
- Furosemide
Furosemide
498 claims
- Metoprolol Tartrate 454
Metoprolol Tartrate
454 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Eliquis Apixaban | 1,235 |
| Metoprolol Succinate | 975 |
| Atorvastatin Calcium | 686 |
| Isosorbide Mononitrate Er Isosorbide Mononitrate | 640 |
| Carvedilol | 637 |
| Amlodipine Besylate | 613 |
| Furosemide | 498 |
| Metoprolol Tartrate | 454 |
| Clopidogrel Clopidogrel Bisulfate | 434 |
| Lisinopril | 375 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
More Cardiovascular Disease Physician in NC →
All providers in North Carolina →
Compare specialties →
Cardiovascular Disease Physician Overview
How Ghassan Alkoutami, MD fits within the Cardiovascular Disease Physician landscape nationally.
24,795
Cardiovascular Disease Physician Providers in US
54
States with Cardiovascular Disease Physician
3,033
Avg Claims per Provider
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's 11,045 claims are above the specialty average of 3,033.
Nearby Cardiovascular Disease Physician Providers in North Carolina
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in North Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Alkoutami.
Dr. William Abernathy
MD
Durham, NC
Dr. William Abernethy
M.D.
Asheville, NC
Dr. Cyril Abrams
M.D.
Jacksonville, NC
Dr. George Adams
M.D.
Garner, NC
Dr. Kirkwood Adams
MD
Chapel Hill, NC
Compare Cardiovascular Disease Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →
Before you book an appointment
Use this federal record as your verification checklist, not as a recommendation.
- Confirm the NPI record is current in the official CMS registry, providers update their own NPPES details, and moves can lag. Verify this NPI
- Check the active license and any disciplinary history with the North Carolina medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
- Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Cardiovascular Disease Physician peer on Medicare volume and prescribing patterns. Compare providers
Medicare Part D and MIPS figures describe practice patterns in federal programs only, they are not quality ratings, and PlainDoctor does not rate, rank, or recommend providers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's specialty? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD specializes in Cardiovascular Disease Physician and practices in Hickory, North Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does Ghassan Alkoutami, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Ghassan Alkoutami, MD wrote 11,045 Medicare Part D claims totaling $2.0M in drug costs for 1,969 beneficiaries.
What is Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's Medicare quality score? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 75/100. The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Ghassan Alkoutami, MD located? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD is located at 2660 TATE BLVD SE, Hickory, NC, 28602. Phone: (828) 216-0009.
What is Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's NPI number? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1508867516, issued on 08/02/2005.
Does Ghassan Alkoutami, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's prescribing is 19% brand-name and 81% generic drugs by claim count, with $1.8M in brand drug costs.
How many Cardiovascular Disease Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 24,795 Cardiovascular Disease Physician providers across 54 states in the US. The average Cardiovascular Disease Physician provider writes 3,033 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Ghassan Alkoutami, MD prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Eliquis, Metoprolol Succinate, Atorvastatin Calcium. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Ghassan Alkoutami, MD accept Medicare? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 11,045 Part D claims and 1,969 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's credentials? ▼
Ghassan Alkoutami, MD's NPI is 1508867516 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 (2023). 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 April 2026 (NPPES) / 2023 (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
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.