Dr. Thomas McDonald, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. McDonald
Dr. Thomas McDonald is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Sonora, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. McDonald performed 1,130 Medicare services across 1,039 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. McDonald received a total of $3,240 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 46 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. 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. McDonald 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
277 | $58 | $190 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
153 | $27 | $74 |
| Hand nerve release or relocation A surgical procedure to release or reposition a nerve in the hand. |
106 | $306 | $1,139 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
100 | $49 | $93 |
| X-ray of finger, minimum of 2 views An X-ray imaging test of a finger using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
88 | $5 | $30 |
| Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints. |
68 | $6 | $35 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
67 | $27 | $110 |
| Incision of finger tendon sheath A surgical procedure to cut open the protective covering of a finger tendon. |
51 | $197 | $1,169 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
44 | $29 | $155 |
| Intraoperative ultrasound guidance Use of ultrasound imaging during a surgical procedure to help guide the surgeon's actions. |
37 | $48 | $247 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
22 | $93 | $271 |
| Medication injection into palm A procedure involving the injection of medication into the palm of the hand. |
21 | $46 | $191 |
| Finger manipulation for connective tissue release A procedure involving the manipulation of a finger to release connective tissue after an enzyme injection has been administered. |
20 | $63 | $247 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
20 | $7 | $38 |
| Wrist to finger joint removal Surgical removal of the bones forming the joints between the wrist and the fingers. |
15 | $670 | $2,154 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
15 | $105 | $274 |
| Tendon relocation of forearm or wrist A surgical procedure to reposition a tendon in the forearm or wrist to restore proper function or alignment. |
14 | $257 | $1,615 |
| Removal of tendon growth, finger or hand A procedure to remove a growth from a tendon in the finger or hand. |
12 | $231 | $1,079 |
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 (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (94%) 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. McDonald is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 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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