Dr. Joseph Nichols, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Nichols
Dr. Joseph Nichols is a colon & rectal surgery specialist in Atlanta, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nichols performed 244 Medicare services across 231 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nichols received a total of $2,291 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 74 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in colon & rectal 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. Nichols is 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. |
60 | $80 | $187 |
| 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. |
55 | $63 | $125 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
30 | $183 | $432 |
| Anoscopy A diagnostic exam of the anus using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope to look inside. |
28 | $92 | $196 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscope and cautery This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera. Electrical cautery is used to stop bleeding during the removal. |
25 | $154 | $880 |
| External hemorrhoid removal by rubber banding A procedure to remove external hemorrhoids using rubber bands to cut off blood supply. The affected tissue is tied off and eventually falls off. |
24 | $188 | $605 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
22 | $213 | $932 |
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 (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 | — Not enrolled | N/A |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 3 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Nichols is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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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