Dr. James Ronald, M.D. PH.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Ronald
Dr. James Ronald is a radiation oncology specialist in Durham, NC, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ronald performed 780 Medicare services across 670 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ronald received a total of $5,112 from 15 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 23 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in radiation oncology. 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. Ronald 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
217 | $9 | $196 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
133 | $10 | $95 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device. |
66 | $13 | $120 |
| Arterial catheter insertion, initial third order branch Insertion of a tube into an abdominal, pelvic, or leg artery, specifically targeting the initial third order branch. |
44 | $144 | $5,324 |
| Radiologist review of additional artery image A radiologist reviews an additional image of an artery. This step involves professional interpretation of the imaging data. |
43 | $33 | $80 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 42 | $119 | $490 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+ A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older. |
34 | $178 | $2,217 |
| Arterial tube insertion, additional vessels This code covers the insertion of a tube into an additional artery in the abdomen, pelvis, or leg during a procedure where other arteries have already been accessed. |
25 | $36 | $390 |
| Central venous port insertion A surgical procedure to place a small reservoir under the skin for long-term access to the bloodstream. The device is connected to a vein to allow for repeated medication administration or blood draws. |
25 | $221 | $3,716 |
| CT-guided tissue removal A procedure using computed tomography imaging to guide the removal of tissue from the body. |
23 | $133 | $825 |
| Removal of tunneled central venous tube This procedure involves the removal of a catheter that has been surgically placed under the skin and threaded into a large vein. |
22 | $95 | $742 |
| Vessel or growth occlusion with radiologist review A procedure to block blood flow to growths or obstructed vessels, including review by a radiologist. |
22 | $390 | $34,813 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the abdomen to assess their structure and function. |
22 | $69 | $280 |
| 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. |
19 | $109 | $344 |
| Destruction of growth of kidney by freezing | 18 | $335 | $10,913 |
| Artery occlusion with radiologist review A procedure to block an artery, accompanied by a radiologist's review of the results. |
14 | $332 | $27,579 |
| Limited or follow-up CT scan A computed tomography scan that is limited in scope or performed as a follow-up to a previous examination. |
11 | $33 | $206 |
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 (54%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in radiation oncology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 10% for radiation oncology in NC.
Geographic Context
5.1 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. Ronald is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 10% of NC peers, with 15 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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