Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Joseph Ratchford, MD
Internal Medicine · Springfield, 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. Ratchford 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. Ratchford
Dr. Joseph Ratchford is an internal medicine specialist in Springfield, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ratchford performed 34,654 Medicare services across 2,123 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ratchford received a total of $6,311 from 54 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 397 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal 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. Ratchford 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 1% volume in GA
$6,311 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗34,654
Medicare services
Top 1% in GA for internal medicine
2,123
Unique beneficiaries
$6
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,824 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. |
28,356 | $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. |
1,538 | $81 | $148 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
1,131 | $8 | $20 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
937 | $0 | $6 |
| Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered. |
652 | $0 | $22 |
| 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. |
573 | $9 | $40 |
| 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. |
297 | $51 | $102 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
204 | $119 | $167 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 183 | $5 | $22 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
175 | $3 | $17 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, preservative-free A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus, formulated without preservatives, administered in a 0.5 ml dose. |
118 | $22 | $32 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
116 | $29 | $47 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
110 | $1 | $11 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
68 | $15 | $51 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
53 | $1 | $13 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
44 | $47 | $144 |
| COVID-19 immunoassay detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay method to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) through direct visual observation. |
34 | $38 | $105 |
| Respiratory virus detection test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza viruses. |
26 | $60 | $175 |
| SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. |
15 | $35 | $125 |
| Ear wax removal by washing This procedure involves the removal of impacted ear wax using a washing technique. |
13 | $10 | $87 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
11 | $157 | $173 |
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 ↗$6,311
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $902/year across 7 years
Top 13% in GA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
54
Companies
397
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
$6,178 (97.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$133 (2.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,335
2023
$927
2022
$1,148
2021
$1,141
2020
$581
2019
$493
2018
$685
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$304
Novo Nordisk Inc
$202
PFIZER INC.
$119
ABBVIE INC.
$109
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$107
Amgen Inc.
$90
Lilly USA, LLC
$75
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$75
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$49
Abbott Laboratories
$42
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$38
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$35
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$23
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$19
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
Lundbeck LLC
$15
Dexcom, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 46.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,163
Novo Nordisk Inc
$853
PFIZER INC.
$450
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$395
Amgen Inc.
$256
ABBVIE INC.
$253
Lilly USA, LLC
$237
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$233
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$177
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$175
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$152
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$119
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$115
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$109
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$99
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$97
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$96
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$92
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$86
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$86
Abbott Laboratories
$82
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$74
Tris Pharma Inc
$65
VBI Vaccines (Delaware) Inc.
$57
AbbVie Inc.
$55
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$49
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$47
Eisai Inc.
$47
Genentech USA, Inc.
$47
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$44
Adlon Therapeutics L.P.
$41
Corium, LLC
$40
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$38
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$32
Biogen, Inc.
$30
DEXCOM, INC.
$26
Corium, Inc.
$25
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$23
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$22
Optinose US, Inc.
$20
Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.
$18
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$16
OptiNose US, Inc.
$16
Lundbeck LLC
$15
Exact Sciences Corporation
$15
Dexcom, Inc.
$15
Allergan Inc.
$14
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$14
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$13
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$12
Allergan, Inc.
$12
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$12
Zyla Life Sciences, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 39.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADHANSIA XR · AIRSUPRA · APTIOM · AZSTARYS · Aimovig · AirDuo Digihaler · Aircare · Auvelity · Azstarys · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · Baxdela · CAPLYTA · CHANTIX · Cologuard Collection Kit · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · Dayvigo · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · Dyanavel XR · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EVENITY · Edarbi · FARXIGA · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JORNAY PM · Kerendia · Kloxxado · LANTUS · LYRICA · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NALOCET · NEXLETOL · NURTEC ODT · Otezla · Ozempic · PREVNAR - 13 · PreHevbrio · Prolia · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPRAVATO · SPRIX · SYMBICORT · TOUJEO · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRULANCE · TRULICITY · Tresiba · Trintellix · UBRELVY · VAXELIS · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Vascepa · Victoza · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · Xhance · Xofluza · ZEPBOUND
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
23
Per 100K population
34.2
County median income
$85,465
Nearest hospital
EFFINGHAM HEALTH SYSTEM
0.0 mi
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. Ratchford is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of GA peers, 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
Is Dr. Ratchford experienced with testosterone injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ratchford performed 28,356 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. Ratchford receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ratchford received a total of $6,311 from 54 companies across 397 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. Ratchford's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Springfield?
Dr. Ratchford's average Medicare payment per service is $6. 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. Ratchford) 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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