2026 NPPES data Neurological Surgery Physician NPI 1598940686 MD
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James Walker, MD

Neurological Surgery Physician in Pinehurst, 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 8,100 in Neurological Surgery 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
124
Medicare Part D claims · 60 beneficiaries · Neurological Surgery Physician avg: 181
MIPS score
88.3/100
▲ 5 pts above national avg 83.1 · Above neutral
Industry payments
$24.66
1 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.

What the federal data shows

James Walker, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 88.3/100 - above the 83.1 national average - and filed 124 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

88.3/100
MIPS score · +5 vs avg
124
Part D claims, 2023
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.

James Walker, MD's MIPS score vs every scored U.S. clinician

CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, 2023, the federal quality measure

88 Top 44% higher than 56% of 477,587 scored providers

0–10: 8,684 scored providers (2%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3,008 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 20–30: 3,069 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 2,746 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 40–50: 2,928 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 50–60: 5,882 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 60–70: 13,906 scored providers (3%). Below this entry. 70–80: 118,074 scored providers (25%). Below this entry. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). This entry sits in this band. 90+: 189,403 scored providers (40%). Above this entry. This provider 0 100 every MIPS-scored clinician, bucketed by value

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 James Walker, MD sits

This provider among neurological surgery physician peers

Across the 1,737 neurological surgery physician providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, James Walker, MD writes more Part D claims than 60% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 62% - placing this provider in the high-volume, high-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

Lower volume · High qualityHigh volume · High qualityLower volume · Lower qualityHigh volume · Lower quality0255075100024.949.974.899.8Part D claim volume, percentile in specialtyMIPS quality, percentilePart D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 47 · MIPS quality, percentile: 93Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 98 · MIPS quality, percentile: 5Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 37 · MIPS quality, percentile: 65Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 87 · MIPS quality, percentile: 77Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 100 · MIPS quality, percentile: 2Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 12 · MIPS quality, percentile: 42Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 88 · MIPS quality, percentile: 20Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 47 · MIPS quality, percentile: 75Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 27 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 10 · MIPS quality, percentile: 92Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 55 · MIPS quality, percentile: 33Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 63 · MIPS quality, percentile: 80Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 3 · MIPS quality, percentile: 17Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 28 · MIPS quality, percentile: 78Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 82 · MIPS quality, percentile: 65Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 30 · MIPS quality, percentile: 85Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 25 · MIPS quality, percentile: 90Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 12 · MIPS quality, percentile: 25Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 57 · MIPS quality, percentile: 15Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 37 · MIPS quality, percentile: 68Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 18 · MIPS quality, percentile: 70Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 62 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 23 · MIPS quality, percentile: 52Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 78 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 65 · MIPS quality, percentile: 70Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 73 · MIPS quality, percentile: 73Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 53 · MIPS quality, percentile: 55Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 35 · MIPS quality, percentile: 60Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 0 · MIPS quality, percentile: 28Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 32 · MIPS quality, percentile: 45Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 7 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 22 · MIPS quality, percentile: 27Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 80 · MIPS quality, percentile: 20Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 85 · MIPS quality, percentile: 10Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 93 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 43 · MIPS quality, percentile: 53Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 3 · MIPS quality, percentile: 40Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 60 · MIPS quality, percentile: 3Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 97 · MIPS quality, percentile: 88Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 52 · MIPS quality, percentile: 28Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 20 · MIPS quality, percentile: 32Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 68 · MIPS quality, percentile: 87Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 82 · MIPS quality, percentile: 82Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 67 · MIPS quality, percentile: 13Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 47 · MIPS quality, percentile: 63Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 42 · MIPS quality, percentile: 57Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 17 · MIPS quality, percentile: 82Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 8 · MIPS quality, percentile: 23Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 72 · MIPS quality, percentile: 37Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 90 · MIPS quality, percentile: 47Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 92 · MIPS quality, percentile: 50Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 70 · MIPS quality, percentile: 12Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 0 · MIPS quality, percentile: 62Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 75 · MIPS quality, percentile: 0Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 77 · MIPS quality, percentile: 37Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 40 · MIPS quality, percentile: 35Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 95 · MIPS quality, percentile: 48Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 33 · MIPS quality, percentile: 18Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 15 · MIPS quality, percentile: 42Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 45 · MIPS quality, percentile: 8James Walker, MD-Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 60 · MIPS quality, percentile: 62
Part D claim volume vs MIPS quality, by specialty percentile

Each dot is one neurological surgery physician peer from a representative sample of 60; the gold marker is James Walker, MD. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.

Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)

James Walker, 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 James Walker, MD?

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 01/08/2008

NPI 1598940686

Primary specialty

Neurological Surgery Physician

Mid-sized

8,100 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

124 31% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 181

MIPS final score

88.3/100 5.2 pts vs avg

Above neutral band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Neurological Surgery Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Largest specialties in North Carolina (% of in-state providers)

Clinical Social Worker - 7.1%Clinical Social Worker7.1%Behavior Technician - 6.4%Behavior Technician6.4%Pharmacist - 5%Pharmacist5%Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program - 4.5%Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program4.5%Physical Therapist - 4.3%Physical Therapist4.3%Physician Assistant - 4.2%Physician Assistant4.2%Neurological Surgery Physician - 0.1%Neurological Surgery Physician0.1%
Largest specialties in North Carolina (% of in-state providers)

Medicare quality performance, MIPS

James Walker, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Neurological Surgery Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
88.3/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Neurological Surgery Physician) - 88.3/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%88.3%
MIPS final score (Neurological Surgery Physician) - 88.3/100 vs national avg 83.1

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).

James Walker, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Neurological Surgery Physician provider holding MD credentials at 10 AVIEMORE DR, Pinehurst, NC, 28374, with a listed phone of (910) 715-8700. NPI 1598940686 was issued on 01/08/2008. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Walker 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 124 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 60 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $1K in drug spend. 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. On the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, this provider earned a Final Score of 88.3/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 75.8, Cost 86.8), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Neurological Surgery Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 8,100 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 181 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

10 AVIEMORE DR
Pinehurst, NC 28374

Provider Details

NPI 1598940686
Specialty Neurological Surgery Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 01/08/2008

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.

88.3299
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
75.7964
Quality
86.8118
Cost
88
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Group practice

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where James Walker, 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.

Firsthealth OF The Carolinas Inc
Pinehurst, 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 James Walker, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$25

Largest payer

Eisai 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.

Medicare Part D Prescribing Data

CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.

124
Total Claims
$1K
Total Drug Cost
60
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
129
Total Day Supply
2,607
Generic Drug Cost
$1K
Antibiotic Claims
14

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
69.8 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.60
Gender Split
47% female / 53% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What James Walker, MD prescribes most

Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023

claims
Source CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File As of 2023
Drug Claims
Gabapentin
39
Methocarbamol
14
Mupirocin
12

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

Neurological Surgery Physician Overview

How James Walker, MD fits within the Neurological Surgery Physician landscape nationally.

8,100
Neurological Surgery Physician Providers in US
53
States with Neurological Surgery Physician
181
Avg Claims per Provider

James Walker, MD's 124 claims are below the specialty average of 181.

Nearby Neurological Surgery Physician Providers in North Carolina

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

Compare Neurological Surgery 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 Neurological Surgery 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is James Walker, MD's specialty?
James Walker, MD specializes in Neurological Surgery Physician and practices in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does James Walker, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, James Walker, MD wrote 124 Medicare Part D claims totaling $1K in drug costs for 60 beneficiaries.
What is James Walker, MD's Medicare quality score?
James Walker, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 88.3/100 (Quality: 75.8, Cost: 86.8). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is James Walker, MD located?
James Walker, MD is located at 10 AVIEMORE DR, Pinehurst, NC, 28374. Phone: (910) 715-8700.
What is James Walker, MD's NPI number?
James Walker, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1598940686, issued on 01/08/2008.
How many Neurological Surgery Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 8,100 Neurological Surgery Physician providers across 53 states in the US. The average Neurological Surgery Physician provider writes 181 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does James Walker, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, James Walker, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Gabapentin, Methocarbamol, Mupirocin. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does James Walker, MD accept Medicare?
James Walker, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 124 Part D claims and 60 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify James Walker, MD's credentials?
James Walker, MD's NPI is 1598940686 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.
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.