Medicare Enrolled

Dr. George Edwards, MD

Orthopaedic Hand Surgery Physician · Raleigh, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
3701 WAKE FOREST RD, Raleigh, NC 27609
9198723171
In practice since 2008 (18 years)
NPI: 1851552608 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Edwards 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. Edwards

Dr. George Edwards is an orthopaedic hand surgery physician in Raleigh, NC, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Edwards performed 2,129 Medicare services across 1,129 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Edwards received a total of $1,820 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 28 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopaedic hand surgery 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. Edwards 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 20% volume in NC $1,820 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,129
Medicare services
Top 20% in NC for orthopaedic hand surgery physician
1,129
Unique beneficiaries
$43
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~118 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
Betamethasone steroid injection
An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate.
533 $5 $17
Steroid injection (triamcinolone)
A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered.
459 $1 $17
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.
275 $63 $142
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.
144 $73 $175
Tendon or ligament injection
A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament.
128 $36 $150
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
94 $47 $164
X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
87 $26 $112
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.
84 $25 $109
Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint
Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space.
63 $36 $123
Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint
Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint.
35 $33 $117
Incision of finger tendon sheath
A surgical procedure to cut open the protective covering of a finger tendon.
34 $172 $992
Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views
An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints.
30 $30 $106
X-ray of finger, minimum of 2 views
An X-ray imaging test of a finger using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures.
28 $26 $82
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.
25 $90 $200
Injection of carpal tunnel 22 $62 $141
Hand nerve release or relocation
A surgical procedure to release or reposition a nerve in the hand.
19 $298 $1,313
Tendon graft
A surgical procedure to replace a damaged or missing tendon with tissue from another part of the body or a donor.
15 $192 $744
Wrist to finger joint removal
Surgical removal of the bones forming the joints between the wrist and the fingers.
15 $613 $1,927
Removal of tendon growth, finger or hand
A procedure to remove a growth from a tendon in the finger or hand.
14 $455 $959
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.
14 $112 $260
Palm connective tissue removal and finger release
Surgical removal of abnormal connective tissue in the palm to release tension on the first finger.
11 $640 $1,801
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,820
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $260/year across 7 years
Bottom 38% in NC for orthopaedic hand surgery physician
16
Companies
28
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
$1,820 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$380
2023
$207
2022
$263
2021
$80
2020
$29
2019
$62
2018
$800

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Tricoast Surgical Solutions LLC
$259
Stryker Corporation
$78
Endo USA, Inc.
$44
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Exactech, Inc.
$783
Tricoast Surgical Solutions LLC
$259
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$247
TriCoast Surgical Solutions LLC
$132
Stryker Corporation
$78
Skeletal Dynamics Inc
$59
Sonex Health, Inc.
$45
Endo USA, Inc.
$44
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$35
Arthrosurface Incorporated
$26
Abbott Laboratories
$25
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$21
Bioventus LLC
$20
Skeletal Dynamics LLC
$17
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$17
AXOGEN
$13
Top 3 companies account for 70.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AEQUALIS PERFORM · AxoGuard Nerve Connector · Equinoxe · Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System · Geminus · HemiCAP Shoulder · HemiCAP Wrist · PROCLAIM · SX-ONE MICROKNIFE · TENOGLIDE · TORNIER PERFORM REVERSED GLENOID · Turalio · ULTRAGUIDECTR · VAPR · XIAFLEX
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an orthopaedic hand surgery physician in Raleigh?
Compare orthopaedic hand surgery physicians in the Raleigh area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse orthopaedic hand surgery physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Orthopaedic hand surgery physicians within 10 mi
10
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$101,763
Nearest hospital
REX HOSPITAL
5.6 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. Edwards is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 20% 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. Edwards experienced with betamethasone steroid injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Edwards performed 533 betamethasone steroid injection 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. Edwards receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Edwards received a total of $1,820 from 16 companies across 28 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. Edwards's costs compare to other orthopaedic hand surgery physicians in Raleigh?
Dr. Edwards's average Medicare payment per service is $43. 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. Edwards) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →