Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Vije, MD
Anesthesiology · Austin, TX
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. Vije 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. Vije
Dr. Christopher Vije is an anesthesiology specialist in Austin, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Vije performed 16,312 Medicare services across 3,205 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Vije received a total of $14,879 from 42 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 875 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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. Vije is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 0% volume in TX
$14,879 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗16,312
Medicare services
Top 0% in TX for anesthesiology
3,205
Unique beneficiaries
$32
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~859 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bupivacaine injection, 0.5 mg An injection of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic, administered in a dose of 0.5 mg. |
6,119 | $0 | $3 |
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 2,637 | $0 | $1 |
| Injection, propofol, 10 mg | 1,395 | $0 | $0 |
| Extended-release steroid injection (Zilretta) An injection of triamcinolone acetonide using a preservative-free, extended-release microsphere formulation. The dosage is measured in milligrams. |
1,248 | $13 | $53 |
| 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. |
821 | $66 | $146 |
| 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. |
370 | $101 | $217 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
349 | $9 | $20 |
| Midazolam injection, per 1 mg Administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative medication, measured in 1 mg increments. |
329 | $0 | $1 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
272 | $9 | $78 |
| 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. |
236 | $41 | $201 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
220 | $33 | $90 |
| X-ray of spine, 1 view A single-view X-ray image of the spine to visualize the bones and alignment. |
200 | $20 | $56 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
191 | $0 | $4 |
| Injection, fentanyl citrate, 0.1 mg | 191 | $1 | $4 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
163 | $227 | $783 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
161 | $201 | $524 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
150 | $90 | $239 |
| 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. |
133 | $123 | $331 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
128 | $57 | $210 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
88 | $92 | $267 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
86 | $355 | $1,268 |
| X-ray of sacroiliac joint, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the joint connecting the lower spine to the hip bone, using one to two images. |
80 | $27 | $86 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
61 | $146 | $589 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
59 | $194 | $757 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 57 | $6 | $11 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
54 | $204 | $746 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
54 | $104 | $379 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional upper or middle spinal facet joint. |
46 | $214 | $573 |
| Electronic analysis of implanted neurostimulator with complex programming This procedure involves the electronic evaluation of an implanted neurostimulator generator. It includes complex programming of spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulators. |
46 | $42 | $167 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and structures. |
43 | $33 | $85 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
41 | $212 | $760 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the upper or middle spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
30 | $182 | $700 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging An injection into a second spinal facet joint in the upper or middle spine, guided by imaging to ensure accurate placement. |
29 | $94 | $347 |
| Minimally invasive spine decompression, lower spine A minimally invasive procedure to remove bone from the lower spine to relieve pressure on nerve tissue, guided by imaging and accessed through the skin. |
28 | $724 | $2,757 |
| Spinal neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array into the spine through the skin. The electrode is used to deliver electrical stimulation to the nervous system. |
26 | $246 | $4,093 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy the nerves supplying a single upper or middle spinal facet joint. It is performed to interrupt pain signals from that specific joint. |
24 | $353 | $1,279 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
22 | $46 | $206 |
| Venipuncture for blood draw Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect blood samples. This procedure is performed on patients aged 3 years or older. |
20 | $7 | $52 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement Surgical procedure to stabilize a fractured vertebra in the lower spine by inserting a supportive device. |
19 | $4,830 | $22,620 |
| Spinal neurostimulator generator insertion Surgical placement of a spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver device. |
18 | $182 | $1,121 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
18 | $10 | $126 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 18 | $167 | $415 |
| Trigger point injection, 3 or more muscles Injection of medication into three or more specific muscle trigger points to relieve pain. |
16 | $43 | $194 |
| Spinal stabilization device, each additional segment Placement of a stabilizing device on an additional segment of a broken spine bone. This code is used for each extra segment treated beyond the initial one. |
16 | $2,496 | $13,730 |
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 ↗$14,879
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,126/year across 7 years
Top 3% in TX for anesthesiology
42
Companies
875
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
$14,879 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$4,343
2023
$2,165
2022
$1,999
2021
$1,358
2020
$1,405
2019
$1,556
2018
$2,054
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$9,021
SI-BONE, INC.
$1,072
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$694
Medtronic, Inc.
$525
Zyla Life Sciences
$261
Egalet US Inc
$247
Boston Scientific Corporation
$228
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$218
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$210
Zyla Life Sciences, Inc.
$207
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$200
ABBVIE INC.
$179
PFIZER INC.
$167
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$161
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$116
Nevro Corp.
$111
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$109
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$99
Stryker Corporation
$90
AbbVie Inc.
$84
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$73
Orthogenrx Inc.
$71
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$67
Radius Health, Inc.
$66
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$66
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$60
PAINTEQ LLC
$56
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$52
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$51
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$43
Lilly USA, LLC
$38
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$35
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$28
SI-BONE, Inc.
$27
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$27
Pacira Therapeutics, Inc.
$27
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$22
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$17
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$15
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$14
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$14
Kaleo, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 72.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AJOVY · Axium INS DRG IPG · BELBUCA · BOTOX · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · COLOGUARD DNA CAPTURE REAGENTS · DRG Accessories · DRG leads · Da Vinci Surgical System · EMGALITY · ETERNA · Evoke · Evzio · Exparel · FLECTOR · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - BPH · GenVisc 850 · Horizant · IFUSE IMPLANT SYSTEM · INFINION · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · IVS - MULTIGEN 2RF · Intracept · Iovera · LYRICA · Morphabond ER · Movantik · NSE - CUTTING ACCESSORIES · NT1100 NT2000iX Simplicity · NURTEC ODT · Octrode SCS Leads · PAINTEQ · PROCLAIM · Penta SCS Leads · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Proclaim IPG · Prodigy Family of SCS IPGs · QULIPTA · QUTENZA · Qutenza · RELISTOR · Radiofrequency Therapy · SCS IPGs · SCS leads · SEGLENTIS · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPRIX · SYMPROIC · SYNCHROMEDII · SYNFLATE · Seglentis · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Tymlos · UBRELVY · VANTA ADAPTIVESTIM · VERTECEM · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XIFAXAN · XTAMPZA · Xtampza ER · ZORVOLEX · ZTLido · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH · Zilretta · iFuse Implant · mild Device Kit
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 3% for anesthesiology in TX.
Equivalent to $91 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Anesthesiologists within 10 mi
255
Per 100K population
19.5
County median income
$97,169
Nearest hospital
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER- AUSTIN
7.6 mi
7.6 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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Vije is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 0% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 3% of TX peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Vije experienced with bupivacaine injection, 0.5 mg?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Vije performed 6,119 bupivacaine injection, 0.5 mg 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. Vije receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Vije received a total of $14,879 from 42 companies across 875 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. Vije's costs compare to other anesthesiologists in Austin?
Dr. Vije's average Medicare payment per service is $32. 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. Vije) 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. The Transparency Score measures 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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