Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Heather Willis, MD
Urology Physician · Hickory, NC
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. Willis 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. Willis
Dr. Heather Willis is an urology physician in Hickory, NC, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Willis performed 9,851 Medicare services across 3,081 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Willis received a total of $1,618 from 29 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 90 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in urology physician. 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. Willis 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.
✓ 17 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in NC
$1,618 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗9,851
Medicare services
Top 5% in NC for urology physician
3,081
Unique beneficiaries
$17
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~579 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
3,500 | $0 | $0 |
| Botox injection, per unit An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered. |
1,300 | $5 | $6 |
| Manual urinalysis with microscopic examination A urine test performed manually without automated equipment. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
1,217 | $4 | $4 |
| BCG treatment for bladder cancer | 775 | $2 | $3 |
| 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. |
511 | $86 | $127 |
| 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. |
428 | $60 | $88 |
| Insertion of temporary bladder tube | 407 | $31 | $51 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
251 | $8 | $9 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
164 | $7 | $17 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 143 | $18 | $24 |
| 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. |
126 | $0 | $1 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
116 | $16 | $22 |
| 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. |
102 | $105 | $172 |
| Abdominal X-ray, 1 view An X-ray image of the abdomen taken from a single angle to visualize internal structures. |
101 | $22 | $30 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
76 | $177 | $237 |
| Catheter specimen collection A procedure to collect a specimen using a catheter. This service is available in all places of service. |
75 | $3 | $3 |
| Bladder irrigation and/or instillation This procedure involves flushing the bladder with fluid to clear it or introducing medication directly into the bladder. |
72 | $54 | $73 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
52 | $38 | $56 |
| Simple insertion of temporary bladder tube A procedure to place a temporary tube into the bladder. This allows for the drainage of urine from the bladder. |
35 | $44 | $67 |
| 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. |
30 | $10 | $20 |
| Urine culture, bacterial colony count A laboratory test that measures the number of bacteria growing in a urine sample to help identify infections. |
29 | $8 | $10 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure flow study A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder during voiding to evaluate how well the bladder and urethra are functioning. |
28 | $204 | $369 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis using contrast dye before and after administration to visualize internal structures. |
28 | $191 | $266 |
| Imaging of urinary tract with contrast An imaging test of the urinary tract performed after a contrast agent is injected to enhance visibility of the structures. |
28 | $19 | $24 |
| 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. |
28 | $72 | $117 |
| Limited retroperitoneal ultrasound A focused ultrasound exam of the area behind the abdominal cavity to evaluate specific structures. |
27 | $44 | $96 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the abdominal and pelvic organs. The procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
26 | $78 | $105 |
| Bladder instillation of anti-cancer drug A procedure where an anti-cancer medication is introduced directly into the bladder. This method delivers the treatment locally to the bladder tissue. |
25 | $64 | $95 |
| 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. |
25 | $61 | $77 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
23 | $36 | $49 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
22 | $5 | $79 |
| Complicated insertion of bladder tube | 20 | $101 | $144 |
| 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. |
17 | $101 | $130 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via endoscope A flexible tube is inserted into the ureter using an endoscope to keep the passage open and allow urine to flow from the kidney to the bladder. |
16 | $111 | $138 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
15 | $25 | $162 |
| Cystoscopy with chemical ablation of bladder A procedure where a camera is used to examine the bladder and a chemical agent is applied to destroy abnormal tissue. |
13 | $292 | $373 |
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.
1.1% high complexity
53.1% medium
45.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,618
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $231/year across 7 years
Bottom 42% in NC for urology physician
29
Companies
90
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
$1,536 (95.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$81 (5.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$428
2023
$259
2022
$21
2021
$254
2020
$71
2019
$305
2018
$281
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$62
PFIZER INC.
$53
Teleflex LLC
$44
Mission Pharmacal Company
$44
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$37
Photocure Inc
$30
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$28
Tolmar, Inc.
$22
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$18
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$17
Boston Scientific Corporation
$17
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$16
Top 3 companies account for 37.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$296
Axonics, Inc.
$146
Mission Pharmacal Company
$111
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$103
Boston Scientific Corporation
$94
PFIZER INC.
$84
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$79
180 Medical, Inc.
$77
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$76
Teleflex LLC
$59
Coloplast Corp
$49
Amgen Inc.
$49
TherapeuticsMD, Inc.
$44
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$30
Photocure Inc
$30
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$28
Caldera Medical, Inc
$26
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$26
Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$23
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$23
Tolmar, Inc.
$22
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$20
Dornier MedTech America, Inc
$20
NeoTract Inc.
$19
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$18
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$17
Hollister Incorporated
$13
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 34.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(815) Thiola · ADSTILADRIN · ALTIS · AMS 700 · AQUABEAM SYSTEM · AVEED · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · CURE CATHETER · CYSVIEW · Desara · ERLEADA · Erleada · FIRMAGON · GEMTESA · GENTLECATH · IMVEXXY · INTERSTIM · Infyna Chic · LithoVue · Lithotripters & Accessories · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · Noctiva · ORGOVYX · POSLUMA · PYLARIFY · Prolia · REZUM · SPEEDICATH · SWISS LITHOCLAST TRILOGY · SpeediCath · Tria Firm · URIBEL · URIBEL TABS · UROLIFT · Uribel · UroLift · XIAFLEX · XTANDI · Xtandi · ZIO XT Patch
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 (95%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urology physicians within 10 mi
20
Per 100K population
12.3
County median income
$64,544
Nearest hospital
FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
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. Willis is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in NC), 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. Willis experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Willis performed 3,500 contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) 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. Willis receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Willis received a total of $1,618 from 29 companies across 90 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. Willis's costs compare to other urology physicians in Hickory?
Dr. Willis's average Medicare payment per service is $17. 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. Willis) 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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