2026 NPPES data Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician NPI 1942284450 MD
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HEATH THORNTON, MD

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician in WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina. CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System profile including specialty classification, practice address, and Medicare prescribing data when reported.

Federal data — no proprietary rating. PlainDoctor publishes the actual CMS NPPES and Medicare records — NPI registration, specialty, practice location, and prescribing data — without a composite score or editorial opinion on top. Every field traces to a federal source.
Prescribing volume
1K
Medicare Part D claims · 138 beneficiaries · Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
87%
generic claims · 13% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
What the federal data reveals: HEATH THORNTON, MD is a Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician ([object Object]) practicing in WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 1K claims across 138 beneficiaries — 13% brand-name prescribing .

What stands out: HEATH THORNTON, MD filed 1,279 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 across WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

HEATH THORNTON, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 1 hospital affiliation — signals consistent with board-certified status. For verified board certification, see CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).

HEATH THORNTON, MD at a glance

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 11/30/2005

NPI 1942284450

Primary specialty

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician

Niche

2,087 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,279 3% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,242

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician share within North Carolina

1. Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician share within North Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

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).

HEATH THORNTON, MD is a Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician provider practicing in WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: MD. NPI: 1942284450. This profile includes practice location, specialty classification, and organizational affiliations from the CMS provider registry. Provider information is self-reported to CMS and updated monthly.

HEATH THORNTON, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician provider holding MD credentials at MEDICAL CENTER BLVD, WINSTON SALEM, NC, 27157, with a listed phone of (336) 716-2255. NPI 1942284450 was issued on 11/30/2005. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what THORNTON most recently submitted to CMS rather than a vetted directory listing, which is why patients should always confirm the practice is still at this location before scheduling.

Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 1,279 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 138 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $141K in drug spend, split 13% brand-name and 87% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 2.0%. These figures capture only Medicare Part D — commercial insurance, Medicaid, and cash-pay prescriptions are not included, and any drug-beneficiary cell under 11 is suppressed by CMS for patient privacy.

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 2,087 enrolled providers across 52 states and an average of 1,242 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

MEDICAL CENTER BLVD
WINSTON SALEM, NC 27157

Provider Details

NPI 1942284450
Specialty Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 11/30/2005

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where HEATH THORNTON, 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.

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
WINSTON SALEM, 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).

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

HEATH THORNTON, MD — brand share 13.0%
Specialty average (est.)

13% brand-name claims vs 87% generic, on 1,279 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.

1,279
Total Claims
$141K
Total Drug Cost
138
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
3,155
Total Day Supply
93,539
Brand vs Generic
13% brand / 87% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$119K
Generic Drug Cost
$21K
Opioid Claims
25 (2.0% rate)

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
72.1 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.12
Gender Split
49% female / 51% male
Age Distribution
<65: 18, 65-74: 73, 75-84: 35, 85+: 12

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.

Drug Claims
Amlodipine Besylate
89
Hydrochlorothiazide
68
Atorvastatin Calcium
66
Rosuvastatin Calcium
62
Lisinopril
54
Gabapentin
44
Metformin Hcl Er
Metformin Hcl
43
Allopurinol
32
Levothyroxine Sodium
32
Losartan Potassium
29

* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician Overview

How HEATH THORNTON, MD fits within the Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician landscape nationally.

2,087
Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician Providers in US
52
States with Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician
1,242
Avg Claims per Provider

HEATH THORNTON, MD's 1,279 claims are above the specialty average of 1,242.

Nearby Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician Providers in North Carolina

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in North Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as THORNTON.

Compare Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HEATH THORNTON, MD's specialty?
HEATH THORNTON, MD specializes in Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician and practices in WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does HEATH THORNTON, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, HEATH THORNTON, MD wrote 1,279 Medicare Part D claims totaling $141K in drug costs for 138 beneficiaries.
Where is HEATH THORNTON, MD located?
HEATH THORNTON, MD is located at MEDICAL CENTER BLVD, WINSTON SALEM, NC, 27157. Phone: (336) 716-2255.
What is HEATH THORNTON, MD's NPI number?
HEATH THORNTON, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1942284450, issued on 11/30/2005.
Does HEATH THORNTON, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
HEATH THORNTON, MD's prescribing is 13% brand-name and 87% generic drugs by claim count, with $119K in brand drug costs.
Does HEATH THORNTON, MD prescribe opioids?
Yes, HEATH THORNTON, MD had 25 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 2.0%.
How many Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 2,087 Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician providers across 52 states in the US. The average Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician provider writes 1,242 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does HEATH THORNTON, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, HEATH THORNTON, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Amlodipine Besylate, Hydrochlorothiazide, Atorvastatin Calcium. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does HEATH THORNTON, MD accept Medicare?
HEATH THORNTON, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,279 Part D claims and 138 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify HEATH THORNTON, MD's credentials?
HEATH THORNTON, MD's NPI is 1942284450 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

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.
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