2026 NPPES data Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician NPI 1578581617 M.D., PH.D.
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JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician in BATON ROUGE, Louisiana. 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
34
Medicare Part D claims · Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
50%
generic claims · 50% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
87.3707/100
▲ 4 pts above national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$67.87
2 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 87.3707/100 — above the 83.1 national average — and filed 34 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

87.3707/100
MIPS score · +4 vs avg
34
Part D claims, 2023
50%
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.

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s MIPS score vs every scored U.S. clinician

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

87 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. 90–100: 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

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 2 hospital affiliations — 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, M.D., PH.D.?

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 07/17/2006

NPI 1578581617

Primary specialty

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician

Mid-sized

6,631 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

34 97% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,069

MIPS final score

87.3707/100 4.270700000000005% pts

Above neutral band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Louisiana

How Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician compares to other specialties among Louisiana providers

Louisiana providers

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician share within Louisiana

1. Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician share within Louisiana

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
87.3707/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician) — 87.3707/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%87.4%
MIPS final score (Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician) — 87.3707/100 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, M.D., PH.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician provider holding M.D., PH.D. credentials at LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, BATON ROUGE, LA, 70808, with a listed phone of (225) 757-4080. NPI 1578581617 was issued on 07/17/2006. 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 34 prescription claims written by this provider, covering N/A Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $10K in drug spend, split 50% brand-name and 50% generic by claim count. 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 87.3707/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 69.5221, Cost 55.047), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 6,631 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 1,069 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

LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
BATON ROUGE, LA 70808

Provider Details

NPI 1578581617
Specialty Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician
Credentials M.D., PH.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 07/17/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

87.3707
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
69.5221
Quality
55.047
Cost
100
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Group practice

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. 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.

LSUHN BILLING LLC
BATON ROUGE, LA
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE PHYSICIAN GROUP LLC
BATON ROUGE, LA

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, M.D., PH.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$68

Largest payer

GENZYME CORPORATION

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 · Brand-heavy

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. — brand share 50.0%
Specialty average (est.)

50% brand-name claims vs 50% generic, on 34 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.

34
Total Claims
$10K
Total Drug Cost
N/A
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
46
Total Day Supply
1,329
Brand vs Generic
50% brand / 50% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$10K
Generic Drug Cost
$164

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
62.5 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
2.04

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Prednisone
13

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

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Overview

How JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. fits within the Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician landscape nationally.

6,631
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in US
53
States with Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician
1,069
Avg Claims per Provider

JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s 34 claims are below the specialty average of 1,069.

Nearby Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in Louisiana

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Louisiana, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as WALKER.

Compare Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s specialty?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. specializes in Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician and practices in BATON ROUGE, Louisiana. Credentials: M.D., PH.D..
How much does JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. wrote 34 Medicare Part D claims totaling $10K in drug costs for N/A beneficiaries.
What is JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s Medicare quality score?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 87.3707/100 (Quality: 69.5221, Cost: 55.047). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. located?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. is located at LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, BATON ROUGE, LA, 70808. Phone: (225) 757-4080.
What is JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s NPI number?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1578581617, issued on 07/17/2006.
Does JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s prescribing is 50% brand-name and 50% generic drugs by claim count, with $10K in brand drug costs.
How many Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 6,631 Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician providers across 53 states in the US. The average Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician provider writes 1,069 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Prednisone. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. accept Medicare?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 34 Part D claims and N/A Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s credentials?
JAMES WALKER, M.D., PH.D.'s NPI is 1578581617 with credentials M.D., PH.D.. 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