Dr. Christopher Eckstein, MD
Neurology (Neurology Physician)
- Medicare participating
At a glance
- Medical school
- University of Alabama School of Medicine (2005)
- Years since graduation
- 21
- In the NPI registry since
- 2007
- Medicare patients seen, 2024
- 227
Licensed in Alabama since 2007, according to the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and Medical Licensure Commission. We show license dates only for the states that publish them in bulk; see which states do. For other states, check the state medical board.
The NPI date is when this clinician registered for a National Provider Identifier, the billing number used on health claims. It is not a license, graduation or board-certification date. NPIs were first issued in May 2005 and became required on claims in 2007–2008, so an early date usually means the clinician was already in practice before then. What an NPI is
Education and training
- 2005Medical school: University of Alabama School of Medicine
- 2007Registered with an NPI (national billing number; not a license date) — NPIs began in 2005, so practice likely started earlier
Undergraduate school, residency, fellowship, licensing exams and board certification aren’t in public federal data. Board certification can be confirmed with the certifying board (ABMS member boards for MDs, AOA boards for DOs).
Specialties and state licenses
-
Neurology Physician primary
NC license 2014-02401 · AL license 27789 (first issued 2007; active) · MD license D68661
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Where they work
Hospitals
- Duke University Hospital Durham, NC
- Duke Regional Hospital Durham, NC
Medical groups
- Duke Health Integrated Practice, Inc (3,185 clinicians)
- Alabama Neurology Associates (14 clinicians)
Hospitals this clinician lists with Medicare, and groups they bill Medicare through (Care Compare). Affiliation doesn’t mean they see patients at every location.
Medicare patients and services
- Medicare patients, 2024
- 227
- Services billed
- 448
- Patients’ average age
- 67
| Service | Times | Patients |
|---|---|---|
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes | 97 | 81 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 40-54 minutes | 24 | 22 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 35 minutes | 22 | 16 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes | 19 | 19 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 18 | 16 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 60-74 minutes | 14 | 14 |
Medicare fee-for-service only. CMS leaves out services billed for fewer than 11 patients. These figures describe a practice’s Medicare work; they aren’t a measure of quality.
Medicare prescriptions
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| Gabapentin Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 117 |
| Pregabalin Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 79 |
| Baclofen Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 75 |
| Cyclobenzaprine Hcl Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 63 |
| Clonazepam Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 55 |
| Oxcarbazepine Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 47 |
| Dalfampridine Er (dalfampridine) | 41 |
| Duloxetine Hcl Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 40 |
| Prednisone Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 37 |
| Modafinil Other prescribers in Birmingham, AL | 33 |
Prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, including refills. CMS leaves out drugs prescribed fewer than 11 times.
Payments from drug and device companies
In 2025, 3 companies reported 13 payments worth $752 in total to this clinician.
| Amgen Inc. | $393 |
|---|---|
| Tg Therapeutics, Inc. | $261 |
| EMD Serono, Inc. | $98.04 |
| Food and Beverage | $752 |
|---|
From CMS Open Payments. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing; many are for consulting, teaching or meals. Clinicians can review and dispute their records with CMS.
Industry-funded research
Named as a principal investigator on 1 industry-funded study in 2025, from 1 company. The companies reported $1,000 in research payments for these studies, mostly to the institutions running them.
- A prospective, multicenter, observational, post-authorization safety study (PASS) to evaluate the long term safety profile of LEMTRADA (alemtuzumab) treatment in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS)
Genzyme Corporation
From CMS Open Payments research payments, where companies name up to five principal investigators per payment. Research payments usually go to hospitals, universities and research sites, not to the investigator personally. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing.