Dr. Christopher Prato, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Prato
Dr. Christopher Prato is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Gastonia, NC, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Prato performed 5,917 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Prato received a total of $1,932 from 27 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 71 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Prato 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 — 2023
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hymovis intra-articular injection An injection of Hymovis, a hyaluronan derivative, administered directly into a joint space. |
3,744 | $13 | $41 |
| Extended-release steroid injection (Zilretta) An injection of triamcinolone acetonide using a preservative-free, extended-release microsphere formulation. The dosage is measured in milligrams. |
768 | $13 | $31 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
310 | $54 | $269 |
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
278 | $5 | $9 |
| 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. |
234 | $61 | $144 |
| 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. |
135 | $87 | $211 |
| 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. |
117 | $29 | $77 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
73 | $24 | $65 |
| Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
50 | $17 | $59 |
| 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. |
49 | $24 | $62 |
| 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. |
45 | $115 | $319 |
| Pelvis X-ray, minimum 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints. |
39 | $29 | $82 |
| 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. |
25 | $77 | $286 |
| MRI of leg joint, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of a joint in the leg performed without the use of contrast dye. |
19 | $89 | $518 |
| Total knee replacement | 18 | $985 | $4,109 |
| MRI of arm joint, without contrast An MRI scan uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the arm joint. This specific procedure is performed without the use of a contrast dye. |
13 | $94 | $605 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
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 ›
Geographic Context
5.1 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | 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. Prato is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in NC), with 21 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. Prato experienced with hymovis intra-articular injection?
Does Dr. Prato receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Prato's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Gastonia?
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This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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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