Medicare Enrolled
Dr. William Whitten, MD
Family Medicine · Columbus, GA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Whitten from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Whitten
Dr. William Whitten is a family medicine specialist in Columbus, GA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Whitten performed 40,641 Medicare services across 1,815 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Whitten received a total of $10,154 from 55 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 698 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine. 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. Whitten 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 0% volume in GA
$10,154 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗40,641
Medicare services
Top 0% in GA for family medicine
1,815
Unique beneficiaries
$3
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~2,032 Medicare services per year of practice
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testosterone injection An injection of testosterone cypionate, a form of testosterone hormone. The dose is measured in milligrams. |
37,350 | $0 | $0 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
773 | $77 | $192 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
274 | $8 | $44 |
| Blood glucose test using reagent strip A test that measures the level of sugar in the blood using a chemical reagent strip. |
255 | $5 | $13 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
217 | $29 | $50 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
156 | $19 | $90 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
155 | $36 | $65 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
144 | $35 | $60 |
| Manual urinalysis with microscopic examination A urine test performed manually without automated equipment. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
143 | $4 | $20 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
112 | $8 | $30 |
| Drug test with direct observation A drug screening test performed under direct observation to ensure the sample is provided correctly. This method is used to verify the integrity of the specimen collection process. |
108 | $12 | $27 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
88 | $120 | $206 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
69 | $8 | $10 |
| Annual depression screening | 66 | $17 | $32 |
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
62 | $46 | $70 |
| Stool test for hidden blood (FIT) A laboratory test that analyzes a stool sample to detect hidden blood using an immunoassay method. |
48 | $14 | $45 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
48 | $7 | $25 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
42 | $13 | $27 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
36 | $24 | $25 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
33 | $8 | $40 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
32 | $8 | $30 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
32 | $16 | $36 |
| Flu vaccine, quadrivalent A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus to help prevent seasonal influenza infection. |
32 | $73 | $80 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
31 | $9 | $25 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
31 | $39 | $150 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
31 | $1 | $25 |
| 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. |
30 | $59 | $130 |
| Liver function blood test panel | 29 | $8 | $20 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
28 | $28 | $85 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
27 | $9 | $25 |
| Vitamin B-12 unsaturated binding capacity test A blood test that measures the unsaturated binding capacity of vitamin B-12. This procedure assesses the amount of vitamin B-12 binding protein available in the blood. |
22 | $13 | $85 |
| Chronic care management, additional 20 min/month This service covers an extra 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing two or more chronic conditions each calendar month. |
22 | $35 | $50 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
18 | $10 | $22 |
| Remote physiologic monitoring setup and education Initial setup of remote monitoring equipment and patient education on its use. |
16 | $14 | $20 |
| Limited retroperitoneal ultrasound A focused ultrasound exam of the area behind the abdominal cavity to evaluate specific structures. |
15 | $38 | $186 |
| COVID-19 amplified DNA/RNA probe detection A laboratory test that uses amplified DNA or RNA probes to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) antigen. |
15 | $50 | $80 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the organs and structures within the abdomen. |
14 | $64 | $213 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
13 | $25 | $100 |
| Fecal immunochemical test (FIT), 1-3 simultaneous A screening test that uses a stool sample to detect hidden blood in the feces, helping to identify potential colorectal cancer. |
13 | $18 | $50 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
11 | $16 | $25 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$10,154
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,451/year across 7 years
Top 5% in GA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
55
Companies
698
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$10,154 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$511
2023
$1,035
2022
$1,248
2021
$2,001
2020
$1,687
2019
$1,784
2018
$1,889
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$124
Lilly USA, LLC
$89
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$53
Radius Health, Inc.
$48
ABBVIE INC.
$46
Novo Nordisk Inc
$32
Corium, LLC
$31
Eisai Inc.
$25
PFIZER INC.
$19
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Medtronic, Inc.
$14
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 52.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$1,398
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$853
AbbVie Inc.
$569
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$562
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$544
Amgen Inc.
$499
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$491
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$483
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$412
Lilly USA, LLC
$382
PFIZER INC.
$344
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$337
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$320
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$256
Allergan, Inc.
$204
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$203
ABBVIE INC.
$193
Allergan Inc.
$126
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$124
Eisai Inc.
$123
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$119
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$114
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$104
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$102
Merz North America, Inc.
$99
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$95
Shire North American Group Inc
$88
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$82
Radius Health, Inc.
$82
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$79
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$78
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$76
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$74
Boston Scientific Corporation
$59
Corium, LLC
$51
Abbott Laboratories
$45
Adlon Therapeutics L.P.
$37
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$35
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$33
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$27
Bausch Health US, LLC
$25
AbbVie, Inc.
$25
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$24
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$20
Neos Therapeutics, LP
$18
Avion Pharmaceuticals
$17
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$16
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$15
Valeritas, Inc.
$15
Ethicon US, LLC
$14
Medtronic, Inc.
$14
Zyla Life Sciences
$13
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$12
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$11
Metuchen Pharmaceuticals
$11
Top 3 companies account for 27.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADHANSIA XR · ADLARITY · AIMOVIG · ANORO ELLIPTA · APLENZIN · AREXVY · Adzenys XR-ODT · Aimovig · Androgel · Auvelity · Azstarys · BASAGLAR · BEVESPI AEROSPHERE · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · Balcoltra · CHANTIX · CONTRAVE · Creon · DUEXIS · Dayvigo · DreamStat Cpap Auto · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · EVENITY · Edarbyclor · Entyvio · FARXIGA · FORTEO · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · FreeStyle Libre 2 · INTERSTIM · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LILETTA · LINX Reflux Management System · LINZESS · LYRICA · Lenvima · Leqembi · LifeVest · Linzess · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYDAYIS · MYRBETRIQ · Mitigare · NEXLETOL · NOCDURNA · NURTEC ODT · OFEV · ORILISSA · OTREXUP · Ozempic · PAXLOVID · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · Prolia · QELBREE · QULIPTA · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA 100/33 · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SUNOSI · SYMBICORT · SYMPROIC · SYNTHROID · Saxenda · Stendra · Sunosi · TLANDO · TOUJEO · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · TZIELD · Tresiba · Trintellix · Trulance · Tymlos · UBRELVY · V-GO · VESICARE · VIBERZI · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · WELLBUTRIN · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XYOSTED · Xeomin · ZORVOLEX
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 5% for family medicine in GA.
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
246
Per 100K population
120.4
County median income
$56,622
Nearest hospital
JACK HUGHSTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
4.0 mi
4.0 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. Whitten is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 0% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 5% of GA peers, 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
Is Dr. Whitten experienced with testosterone injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Whitten performed 37,350 testosterone injection services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Whitten receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Whitten received a total of $10,154 from 55 companies across 698 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Whitten's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Columbus?
Dr. Whitten's average Medicare payment per service is $3. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Whitten) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
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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