Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Deborah Hess, M.D.
Urology Physician · Wilmington, 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. Hess 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. Hess
Dr. Deborah Hess is an urology physician in Wilmington, NC, with 14 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hess performed 7,238 Medicare services across 1,539 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hess received a total of $6,631 from 35 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 193 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. Hess 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.
✓ 14 years in practice
▲ Top 10% volume in NC
$6,631 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗7,238
Medicare services
Top 10% in NC for urology physician
1,539
Unique beneficiaries
$29
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~517 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
5,600 | $5 | $11 |
| 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. |
343 | $91 | $210 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
274 | $2 | $16 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
149 | $8 | $90 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
109 | $158 | $586 |
| 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. |
99 | $114 | $320 |
| 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. |
76 | $59 | $150 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure measurement A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder along with urethral and voiding pressures. |
70 | $279 | $800 |
| 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. |
69 | $24 | $555 |
| Abdominal device insertion with pressure and urine flow study A procedure involving the placement of a device into the abdomen, accompanied by a study to measure pressure and urine flow rate. |
69 | $144 | $538 |
| 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. |
56 | $285 | $750 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 56 | $132 | $365 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
50 | $5 | $284 |
| 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. |
41 | $130 | $285 |
| Injection of implant material into bladder or urethra A procedure where implant material is injected beneath the lining of the bladder and/or urethra using an endoscope. |
40 | $144 | $532 |
| Vaginal defect repair using endoscope A surgical procedure to repair a defect in the vagina using an endoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube inserted into the body to visualize the area. |
32 | $738 | $2,700 |
| Partial uterus removal with cervix retention via endoscope Surgical removal of part of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries while leaving the cervix in place. The procedure is performed using an endoscope for specimens weighing 250.0 grams or less. |
21 | $121 | $727 |
| Repair of rectocele Surgical repair of a herniated rectum into the vaginal wall. |
16 | $423 | $1,631 |
| Sacral nerve stimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array in the sacral area to deliver electrical stimulation to the nerves. |
16 | $831 | $2,842 |
| Bladder hernia repair into vaginal wall Surgical repair of a bladder hernia that has protruded into the vaginal wall. |
15 | $388 | $1,696 |
| Blood creatinine level test A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product from muscle wear and tear, to help assess kidney function. |
14 | $5 | $23 |
| 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. |
12 | $99 | $243 |
| Insertion of temporary bladder tube | 11 | $30 | $168 |
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.
0.8% high complexity
80.0% medium
19.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$6,631
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $947/year across 7 years
Top 24% in NC for urology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
35
Companies
193
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
$6,081 (91.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$550 (8.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,003
2023
$2,094
2022
$1,524
2021
$759
2020
$136
2019
$430
2018
$686
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$665
Boston Scientific Corporation
$158
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$50
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$42
Hologic Sales and Service, LLC
$37
C. R. Bard, Inc. & Subsidiaries
$31
ABBVIE INC.
$20
Top 3 companies account for 87.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic, Inc.
$2,104
Axonics, Inc.
$1,305
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$789
Boston Scientific Corporation
$597
Allergan Inc.
$262
C. R. Bard, Inc. & Subsidiaries
$248
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$169
ABBVIE INC.
$150
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$107
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$83
Laborie Medical Technologies Corp.
$74
180 Medical, Inc.
$72
ConvaTec Inc.
$64
Rochester Medical Corporation
$63
AbbVie Inc.
$59
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$56
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$50
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$43
Ethicon US, LLC
$41
Hologic Sales and Service, LLC
$37
Allergan, Inc.
$25
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$24
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$23
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$20
Coloplast Corp
$20
COLOPLAST CORP
$20
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$18
UROGEN PHARMA, INC.
$16
Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.
$16
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$15
Photocure Inc
$14
Zyla Life Sciences, Inc.
$13
Lilly USA, LLC
$12
RGH Enterprises, Inc.
$12
Pajunk Medical Systems, LP
$8
Top 3 companies account for 63.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACESSA PROVU SYSTEM · Advantage System · Altis · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · Axumin · BOTOX · Bard Urinary Drainage Bag · Bulkamid · CURE CATHETER · CYSVIEW · EMGALITY · ERLEADA · Enseal · Erleada · GEMTESA · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENTLECATH · GENTLECATH GLIDE · General - Female SUI · General - Pain Management · GentleCath · INTERSTIM · INTERSTIM ICON · Intracept · JELMYTO · KEYTRUDA · LUPRON DEPOT · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NANOKNIFE · ORGOVYX · PROVENGE · SPRIX · Tria Firm
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 (92%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urology physicians within 10 mi
19
Per 100K population
8.2
County median income
$72,892
Nearest hospital
WILMINGTON TREATMENT 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. Hess is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Hess experienced with botox injection, per unit?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hess performed 5,600 botox injection, per unit 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. Hess receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hess received a total of $6,631 from 35 companies across 193 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. Hess's costs compare to other urology physicians in Wilmington?
Dr. Hess's average Medicare payment per service is $29. 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. Hess) 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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