Dr. Sandy Charles, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Charles
Dr. Sandy Charles is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Charlotte, NC, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Charles performed 1,176 Medicare services across 1,004 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Charles received a total of $4,836 from 23 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 105 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Charles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
379 | $86 | $291 |
| 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. |
173 | $10 | $93 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
155 | $128 | $425 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
129 | $140 | $693 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
42 | $90 | $283 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
37 | $2 | $17 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
30 | $19 | $115 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 27 | $145 | $614 |
| 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. |
26 | $113 | $484 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 8-15 days This procedure involves recording heart rhythm continuously using an external EKG device over a period of 8 to 15 days. |
24 | $7 | $55 |
| Follow-up ultrasound of heart blood flow, valves and chambers An ultrasound exam that follows up on the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. It uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and function. |
24 | $5 | $34 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
23 | $132 | $562 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
20 | $18 | $75 |
| 2-day continuous ECG monitoring A continuous electrocardiogram recording that captures heart activity over a 48-hour period. This test helps detect irregular heart rhythms or other cardiac issues that may not appear during a standard, short-term ECG. |
15 | $10 | $189 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
14 | $18 | $68 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with professional review A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a review by a healthcare professional. |
13 | $14 | $112 |
| Heart muscle strain imaging | 12 | $9 | $108 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 48 hours to 7 days This procedure involves recording the heart's electrical activity continuously using an external device for a period exceeding 48 hours but not more than 7 days. |
11 | $9 | $34 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
11 | $74 | $470 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
11 | $12 | $83 |
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 (50%) 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. Charles is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 17 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. Charles experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Does Dr. Charles receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Charles's costs compare to other cardiologists in Charlotte?
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