Dr. Catherine Nguyen, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Nguyen
Dr. Catherine Nguyen is a cytopathology physician in La Jolla, CA, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nguyen performed 1,376 Medicare services across 826 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nguyen received a total of $106 from 3 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 5 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cytopathology physician. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Nguyen is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
457 | $59 | $283 |
| Moderately high complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This specific level of complexity involves a moderate to high degree of technical skill and interpretation. |
151 | $67 | $308 |
| Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis. |
103 | $55 | $304 |
| Computer-assisted microscopic genetic tumor analysis A laboratory test that uses computer technology to analyze tumor tissue at a microscopic level for genetic information. |
86 | $35 | $162 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination. |
84 | $77 | $139 |
| Limited pathology tissue examination A microscopic examination of tissue samples to identify abnormalities. This limited exam focuses on specific aspects of the tissue rather than a comprehensive analysis. |
82 | $4 | $16 |
| Tissue preparation to remove calcium A laboratory procedure that removes calcium from a tissue sample to prepare it for microscopic examination. |
42 | $10 | $46 |
| Additional Pap test evaluation episode An additional immediate evaluation of a fine needle aspirate sample during a Pap test procedure. |
40 | $14 | $82 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation and report A pathologist examines cells collected via a fine needle aspiration and provides a written interpretation and report of the findings. |
35 | $140 | $304 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation A laboratory examination of cells collected via fine needle aspiration to assess for abnormalities. |
33 | $27 | $132 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics. |
33 | $88 | $168 |
| X-ray of surgical specimen | 31 | $13 | $82 |
| Special stain test for organisms A laboratory test using special stains on tissue slides to identify microorganisms. The process includes the technical preparation of the slides and a professional interpretation of the results. |
29 | $87 | $111 |
| Special tissue stain, multiplex A laboratory procedure using special stains to examine tissue samples. This multiplex technique allows for the analysis of multiple markers on a single slide. |
28 | $139 | $177 |
| Intraoperative pathology examination of specimen A pathology test performed during surgery to examine a tissue sample from the initial site. The results help guide the surgeon's immediate decisions. |
27 | $51 | $231 |
| Intraoperative pathology exam, additional site A microscopic examination of tissue samples performed during surgery to check for disease. This code applies to each additional site examined beyond the first. |
25 | $31 | $140 |
| Pathology tissue examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities. This specific level indicates a moderate degree of complexity in the analysis. |
20 | $36 | $178 |
| Special tissue stain and interpretation A laboratory test using special stains to examine tissue samples, including the pathologist's review and written report of the findings. |
19 | $10 | $45 |
| Microscopic tissue examination A pathologist examines a tissue sample under a microscope to identify abnormalities or disease. |
13 | $6 | $26 |
| High complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope using advanced techniques to analyze cellular details. |
13 | $120 | $542 |
| Genetic analysis of archival tissue Testing stored tissue samples to identify genetic information. This procedure analyzes existing tissue specimens for genetic markers. |
13 | $16 | $87 |
| Prostate needle biopsy pathology exam Laboratory examination of prostate tissue samples obtained via needle biopsy. The pathologist inspects the tissue both visually and under a microscope to identify any abnormalities. |
12 | $320 | $996 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2022-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Nguyen is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 15 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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