Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Ahmad Slim, M.D.,
Cardiovascular Disease · Tacoma, WA
Practice pattern: Cardiac Imaging
— Practice with significant diagnostic imaging and stress testing
Consulting-driven
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. Slim 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. Slim
Dr. Ahmad Slim is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Tacoma, WA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Slim performed 5,134 Medicare services across 3,885 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Slim received a total of $3,485 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 7 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Slim 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 4% volume in WA
$3,485 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,134
Medicare services
Top 4% in WA for cardiovascular disease
3,885
Unique beneficiaries
$97
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~257 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
658 | $89 | $274 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
492 | $44 | $116 |
| 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. |
479 | $6 | $22 |
| 3D radiographic procedure A radiographic imaging technique that creates three-dimensional representations of internal structures. |
454 | $19 | $156 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
417 | $147 | $552 |
| Heart muscle strain imaging | 349 | $29 | $103 |
| 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. |
219 | $11 | $44 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
182 | $74 | $305 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
173 | $18 | $87 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin used for imaging studies. |
150 | $75 | $311 |
| 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. |
143 | $52 | $200 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
138 | $20 | $67 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
135 | $683 | $1,906 |
| 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. |
124 | $19 | $71 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with review and report A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a professional review and written report of the results. |
116 | $49 | $234 |
| 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. |
97 | $120 | $418 |
| Rubidium rb-82, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 60 millicuries | 96 | $399 | $959 |
| Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical, non-highly enriched uranium source This code covers the cost of Technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals derived from non-highly enriched uranium sources. It is billed as an add-on per study dose for full cost recovery. |
86 | $8 | $10 |
| 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. |
75 | $346 | $1,258 |
| 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. |
65 | $135 | $370 |
| 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. |
50 | $10 | $132 |
| PET scan of heart muscle blood flow A nuclear medicine imaging test that uses positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate blood flow within the heart muscle. |
48 | $105 | $391 |
| 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. |
47 | $61 | $185 |
| SPECT nuclear medicine scan, 1 area A nuclear medicine imaging test using a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan to create detailed images of one specific area of the body. |
45 | $274 | $940 |
| Technetium Tc-99m pyrophosphate diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m pyrophosphate used for imaging studies. The dose administered is up to 25 millicuries. |
45 | $44 | $507 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
44 | $48 | $187 |
| 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. |
43 | $1,441 | $5,042 |
| CT coronary angiography data analysis Review of CT scan data to assess the severity of heart artery disease and examine anatomical details. |
42 | $55 | $159 |
| 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. |
23 | $137 | $514 |
| 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. |
22 | $93 | $265 |
| 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. |
21 | $102 | $347 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with symptom monitoring This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including symptom tracking and a professional review and report of the results. |
20 | $126 | $529 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 20 | $223 | $777 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 16 | $274 | $1,005 |
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.
10.9% high complexity
33.1% medium
56.0% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$3,485
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $581/year across 6 years
Top 24% in WA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
6
Companies
7
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$3,088 (88.6%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$397 (11.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$150
2022
$119
2021
$34
2020
$22
2019
$3,088
2018
$72
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$150
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Janssen Research & Development, LLC
$3,088
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$150
HeartFlow, Inc.
$119
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$72
Penumbra, Inc.
$34
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$22
Top 3 companies account for 96.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
FFRct · Indigo System · PRALUENT · UPTRAVI
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 →
The majority of payments (89%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
90
Per 100K population
9.7
County median income
$96,632
Nearest hospital
ST JOSEPH 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. Slim is a cardiac imaging specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in WA), with consulting-driven industry engagement, with 20 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. Slim experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Slim performed 658 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Slim receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Slim received a total of $3,485 from 6 companies across 7 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. Slim's costs compare to other cardiologists in Tacoma?
Dr. Slim's average Medicare payment per service is $97. 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. Slim) 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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