Dr. Christopher Nicholas, D.O.
What this data tells you about Dr. Nicholas
Dr. Christopher Nicholas is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Clinton Twp, MI, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nicholas performed 10,893 Medicare services across 517 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nicholas received a total of $21,648 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 99 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Nicholas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint lubricant injection (Gel-Syn) An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative into a joint space to supplement joint fluid. |
9,072 | $1 | $5 |
| Neuromuscular re-education therapy, per 15 min A therapy procedure designed to re-educate the functional connection between the brain, nerves, and muscles. It is billed in 15-minute increments. |
285 | $20 | $65 |
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
280 | $17 | $48 |
| Manual therapy (hands-on treatment), per 15 min | 273 | $16 | $40 |
| Functional activity therapy A therapy procedure that utilizes functional activities as part of the treatment process. |
254 | $27 | $54 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
154 | $1 | $5 |
| 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. |
109 | $69 | $112 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
94 | $43 | $174 |
| 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. |
88 | $94 | $175 |
| Knee X-ray, 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures. |
66 | $32 | $80 |
| Self-care/home management training, per 15 min Instruction provided to help patients manage their own care or daily activities at home. The service is billed in 15-minute increments. |
32 | $21 | $54 |
| Hip X-ray, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hip joint using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
29 | $36 | $85 |
| 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. |
26 | $27 | $75 |
| 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. |
21 | $69 | $197 |
| 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. |
21 | $108 | $286 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
21 | $64 | $126 |
| 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. |
20 | $120 | $284 |
| X-ray of both knees, standing An X-ray image of both knees taken while the patient is standing to assess bone alignment and joint space under weight-bearing conditions. |
18 | $30 | $75 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 30 minutes | 17 | $82 | $125 |
| Emergency department visit, high complexity An emergency department visit involving a high level of medical decision making. |
13 | $138 | $350 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (62%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in orthopedic surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
Geographic Context
1.5 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. Nicholas is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in MI), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 18% of MI 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. Nicholas experienced with joint lubricant injection (gel-syn)?
Does Dr. Nicholas receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Nicholas's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Clinton Twp?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology