Medicare Enrolled
Dr. David Walker, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · Raleigh, NC
Practice pattern: Remote Monitoring
— Significant remote device monitoring activity
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. Walker 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. Walker
Dr. David Walker is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Raleigh, NC, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Walker performed 12,380 Medicare services across 3,863 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Walker received a total of $1,818 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 87 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. Walker 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.
✓ 18 years in practice
▲ Top 2% volume in NC
$1,818 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗12,380
Medicare services
Top 2% in NC for cardiovascular disease
3,863
Unique beneficiaries
$83
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~688 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive cardiac rehabilitation; with or without continuous ecg monitoring with exercise, per session | 6,480 | $93 | $347 |
| Intensive cardiac rehabilitation without exercise An intensive cardiac rehabilitation session that does not include exercise. The procedure may include continuous ECG monitoring during the session. |
1,316 | $93 | $347 |
| 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. |
920 | $86 | $278 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
431 | $93 | $519 |
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
336 | $6 | $32 |
| Routine 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) A test that records the electrical activity of the heart using at least 12 leads to produce a tracing. |
317 | $4 | $31 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
304 | $43 | $125 |
| 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. |
284 | $10 | $61 |
| 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. |
281 | $61 | $220 |
| 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. |
180 | $92 | $330 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
137 | $110 | $472 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
127 | $205 | $913 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin used for imaging studies. |
88 | $91 | $257 |
| Hospital discharge management, 30+ min This service covers the care provided by a physician or qualified healthcare professional on the day a patient is discharged from the hospital. It requires more than 30 minutes of total time spent on the day of discharge. |
71 | $89 | $322 |
| 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. |
69 | $100 | $457 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
68 | $86 | $580 |
| 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. |
66 | $9 | $157 |
| 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. |
66 | $132 | $584 |
| 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. |
61 | $120 | $471 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
59 | $128 | $699 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
47 | $16 | $82 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A test that monitors the heart's electrical activity while the patient exercises or receives medication to increase heart rate. |
47 | $20 | $129 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
47 | $11 | $55 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
45 | $13 | $69 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 44 | $211 | $1,016 |
| Nuclear stress test with CT scan A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow in the heart muscle at rest and during stress, performed alongside a concurrent CT scan. |
42 | $68 | $285 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
41 | $20 | $96 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
38 | $46 | $257 |
| Ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. It allows for the visualization of these blood vessels and any surgical grafts. |
35 | $51 | $340 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
34 | $31 | $156 |
| Stress echocardiogram with ECG monitoring An ultrasound of the heart performed while monitoring heart rhythm during rest, exercise, or medication-induced stress, followed by a review and report of the findings. |
34 | $130 | $672 |
| 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. |
31 | $8 | $52 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
31 | $47 | $247 |
| Anticoagulant management for warfarin Management of anticoagulant therapy for a patient taking warfarin. This service involves monitoring and adjusting the medication regimen. |
31 | $9 | $44 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
31 | $36 | $227 |
| 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. |
28 | $121 | $388 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
25 | $4 | $13 |
| 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. |
18 | $5 | $27 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
16 | $73 | $533 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
16 | $18 | $50 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
14 | $98 | $564 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
13 | $75 | $366 |
| 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 | $79 | $392 |
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.
4.5% high complexity
9.6% medium
85.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,818
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $260/year across 7 years
Bottom 44% in NC for cardiovascular disease
21
Companies
87
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
$1,718 (94.5%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$100 (5.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$268
2023
$208
2022
$140
2021
$301
2020
$46
2019
$89
2018
$766
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$70
Celgene Corporation
$51
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$36
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$31
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$26
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$20
PFIZER INC.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 58.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$274
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$184
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$169
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$159
Abbott Laboratories
$149
Celgene Corporation
$133
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$103
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$102
Medtronic, Inc.
$100
PFIZER INC.
$99
Amgen Inc.
$91
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$61
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$43
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$38
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$26
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$19
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$17
Boston Scientific Corporation
$17
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$12
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$11
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 34.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ANDEXXA · Arcalyst · Assure WCD · BRILINTA · CAMZYOS · Confirm Rx · Corlanor · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · Edarbyclor · JARDIANCE · LifeVest · MULTAQ · NEXLETOL · NEXLIZET · OPTIMIZER · Optimizer · PRADAXA · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Repatha · VYNDAQEL · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · XARELTO · ZIO Patch · 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 (94%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
121
Per 100K population
10.5
County median income
$101,763
Nearest hospital
REX HOSPITAL
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. Walker is a remote monitoring specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 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. Walker experienced with intensive cardiac rehabilitation; with or without continuous ecg monitoring with exercise, per session?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Walker performed 6,480 intensive cardiac rehabilitation; with or without continuous ecg monitoring with exercise, per session 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. Walker receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Walker received a total of $1,818 from 21 companies across 87 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. Walker's costs compare to other cardiologists in Raleigh?
Dr. Walker's average Medicare payment per service is $83. 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. Walker) 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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