2026 NPPES data Surgery Physician NPI 1518055334 M.D.
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RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.

Surgery Physician in DOTHAN, Alabama. 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
901
Medicare Part D claims · 390 beneficiaries · Surgery Physician avg: 169
Generic prescribing
95%
generic claims · 5% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
19.5231/100
▼ 64 pts below national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$25.01
1 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 19.5231/100 — below the 83.1 national average — and filed 901 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

19.5231/100
MIPS score · -64 vs avg
901
Part D claims, 2023
95%
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.

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s MIPS score vs every scored U.S. clinician

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

20 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 477,587 scored providers

0–10: 8,684 scored providers (2%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3,008 scored providers (1%). This entry sits in this band. 20–30: 3,069 scored providers (1%). Above this entry. 30–40: 2,746 scored providers (1%). Above this entry. 40–50: 2,928 scored providers (1%). Above this entry. 50–60: 5,882 scored providers (1%). Above this entry. 60–70: 13,906 scored providers (3%). Above this entry. 70–80: 118,074 scored providers (25%). Above this entry. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). Above this entry. 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)

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting — 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 RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.?

Below national average

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 10/10/2006

NPI 1518055334

Primary specialty

Surgery Physician

Mid-sized

36,191 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

901 433% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 169

MIPS final score

19.5231/100 63.576899999999995% pts

Below average band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Alabama

How Surgery Physician compares to other specialties among Alabama providers

Alabama providers

Surgery Physician share within Alabama

1. Surgery Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Surgery Physician share within Alabama

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Surgery Physician national average

Below national average
MIPS Final Score
19.5231/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Surgery Physician) — 19.5231/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%19.5%
MIPS final score (Surgery Physician) — 19.5231/100 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).

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Surgery Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 2431 W MAIN ST, DOTHAN, AL, 36301, with a listed phone of (334) 677-6220. NPI 1518055334 was issued on 10/10/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what NICHOLS 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 901 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 390 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $21K in drug spend, split 5% brand-name and 95% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 38.1%. 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 19.5231/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 0, Cost 65.077), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Surgery Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 36,191 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 169 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

2431 W MAIN ST
DOTHAN, AL 36301

Provider Details

NPI 1518055334
Specialty Surgery Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 10/10/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

19.5231
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
0
Quality
65.077
Cost

Reporting: Individual

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 RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$25

Largest payer

Medtronic, 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 · Generic-heavy

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. — brand share 5.0%
Specialty average (est.)

5% brand-name claims vs 95% generic, on 901 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.

901
Total Claims
$21K
Total Drug Cost
390
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,208
Total Day Supply
22,123
Brand vs Generic
5% brand / 95% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$6K
Generic Drug Cost
$14K
Opioid Claims
343 (38.1% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
150

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
71.5 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.54
Gender Split
53% female / 47% male
Age Distribution
<65: 57, 65-74: 180, 75-84: 133, 85+: 20

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. 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
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen
275
Clopidogrel
Clopidogrel Bisulfate
120
Levothyroxine Sodium
61
Ibuprofen
52
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen
Oxycodone Hcl/Acetaminophen
45
Gabapentin
41
Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim
Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim
40
Doxycycline Hyclate
30
Tramadol Hcl
22
Ciprofloxacin Hcl
21

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

Surgery Physician Overview

How RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. fits within the Surgery Physician landscape nationally.

36,191
Surgery Physician Providers in US
56
States with Surgery Physician
169
Avg Claims per Provider

RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s 901 claims are above the specialty average of 169.

Nearby Surgery Physician Providers in Alabama

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

Compare Surgery Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s specialty?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. specializes in Surgery Physician and practices in DOTHAN, Alabama. Credentials: M.D..
How much does RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. wrote 901 Medicare Part D claims totaling $21K in drug costs for 390 beneficiaries.
What is RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s Medicare quality score?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 19.5231/100 (Quality: 0, Cost: 65.077). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. located?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. is located at 2431 W MAIN ST, DOTHAN, AL, 36301. Phone: (334) 677-6220.
What is RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s NPI number?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1518055334, issued on 10/10/2006.
Does RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s prescribing is 5% brand-name and 95% generic drugs by claim count, with $6K in brand drug costs.
Does RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. prescribe opioids?
Yes, RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. had 343 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 38.1%.
How many Surgery Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 36,191 Surgery Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Surgery Physician provider writes 169 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, Clopidogrel, Levothyroxine Sodium. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. accept Medicare?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 901 Part D claims and 390 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s credentials?
RANDALL NICHOLS, M.D.'s NPI is 1518055334 with credentials M.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