Dr. James F. Bethea, MD
Orthopedic Surgery (Orthopaedic Surgery Physician)
- Medicare participating
At a glance
- Medical school
- Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine (1977)
- Years since graduation
- 49
- In the NPI registry since
- 2006
- Medicare patients seen, 2024
- 372
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
- 1977Medical school: Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine
- 2006Registered 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
-
Orthopaedic Surgery Physician primary
NC license 2017-00751 · SC license 8938
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Where they work
Hospitals
- Musc Medical Center Charleston, SC
Medical groups
- University Medical Associates of the Medical University of South Carol (1,668 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
- 372
- Services billed
- 9,544
- Patients’ average age
- 73
| Service | Times | Patients |
|---|---|---|
| Hyaluronan or derivative, synvisc or synvisc-one, for intra-articular injection, 1 mg | 992 | 14 |
| Injection, triamcinolone acetonide, not otherwise specified, 10 mg | 257 | 49 |
| Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from large joint | 184 | 131 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 153 | 114 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 146 | 99 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes | 143 | 129 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes | 108 | 108 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-44 minutes | 50 | 50 |
| Injection into tendon or ligament | 18 | 13 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Meloxicam Other prescribers in Winston Salem, NC | 208 |
| Gabapentin Other prescribers in Winston Salem, NC | 21 |
| Cyclobenzaprine Hcl Other prescribers in Winston Salem, NC | 15 |
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, 1 companies reported 1 payments worth $378 in total to this clinician.
| Arteriocyte Medical Systems, Inc. | $378 |
|---|
| Food and Beverage | $378 |
|---|
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.