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Dr. David Howard Walker, MD

Specializes in: Spine Surgery and Neurosurgery
Duke University School of Medicine (1998)
Professional interests include: peripheral nerve surgery, brain surgery, spinal deformity, and more.
2900 State Street
Medford, OR 97504

Dr. David Howard Walker, MD is a spine surgeon in Medford, OR specializing in spine surgery and neurosurgery. He graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 1998 and has 28 years of experience. Dr. David Howard Walker, MD is affiliated with Providence, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Providence Medford Medical Center, Providence Newberg Medical Center, SOUTHERN OREGON NEUROSURGICAL AND SPINE ASSOCIATES, PC and Southern Oregon Neurosurgical & Spine Associates, PC.

View Doctor's Full Profile (541) 779-1672

Office Locations

Providence Newberg Medical Center

2900 State Street
Medford, OR 97504
(541) 779-1672
open_in_new

Some issues Dr. David Howard Walker, MD can help you with:

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure performed to remove a small sample of cells for testing. The cells are examined in a laboratory to check for disease, or sometimes to see how badly a known disease is affecting them. Biopsy can be performed on any part of the body.

Although biopsy is most often associated with cancer, it can also be used to check for other diseases, such as infections. A biopsy sample can be scraped, cut, collected with a needle, taken with a machine that punches out a tiny piece, or removed with the tiny tools in an endoscope.

In most cases, a biopsy is a simple outpatient procedure. Depending on the procedure, patients may need to stop taking certain medications beforehand, such as blood thinners. It is important for patients to tell doctors if they are pregnant, as certain biopsies require the use of x-rays to guide the needle to the right location. There is usually very little pain associated with a biopsy. Patients will have to wait a few days to hear the results.

Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to permanently join together two or more vertebrae, the bones in the spine. Certain spinal disorders can lead to instability and pain, and the idea behind spinal fusion is that fusing vertebrae together can both make them stronger and reduce motion, which can sometimes reduce pain.

There are several different types of spinal fusion surgery available, mostly depending on where a patient's pain is located and whether his or her surgeon will perform the procedure through the back, front, or side. In general, a fusion is performed by packing the vertebrae to be fused with grafted bone. This bone may be taken from the patient's hip, may be donated from a cadaver, or it may be a manufactured synthetic material. The bone is placed along the vertebrae, and sometimes, the disc that lies in between the vertebrae is removed and replaced with grafted bone. The bone material will grow and cement the two vertebrae together. After the bone graft is placed, the vertebrae are sometimes held in place with rods, screws, plates, or cages, depending on the weakness of the spine and needs of the graft.

Spinal fusion is a significant surgery and can take three to four hours or more. Recovery is typically two to four days in the hospital. After surgery, it is important to remember that the fusion takes time to grow from the bone graft. So, the actual fusion is not complete for several months. Patients will probably feel somewhat better right away, but it may take a while to feel the full effects of the fusion as the bone grows into place. In the meantime, doctors might have patients wear a brace to protect their spine and keep it properly aligned.

Spinal fusion is not used for all kinds of back pain. Changing the way the spine moves can lead to strain on the other joints in the back, and fusion is only performed when the benefits outweigh the risks. Some spine disorders that are treated with fusion include:

  • Curvature disorders, such as scoliosis and kyphosis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Spondylolisthesis, a disorder that causes vertebrae to slip over each other
  • Significant spinal fractures that cause instability
  • Weakened spine due to infection or tumor
  • Some cases of spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column
  • Chronic lower back pain (although the use of fusion to treat this is controversial)

Regardless of the diagnosis, there is always a possibility of 'failure' with spinal fusion, or of the surgery not fully solving the pain. This is more likely when fusion is used primarily to treat pain instead of structural problems. Patients can improve their chances of a successful outcome by stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, moving their body every day, and following their doctor's instructions for any physical therapy that they are prescribed.

Spinal Osteotomy

Spinal osteotomy is a surgical procedure used to treat significant spinal deformity, sometimes as part of a spinal reconstruction. During spinal osteotomy, one or more pieces of bone are removed. This creates a curve, allowing for proper realignment of the spine.

There are three major types of spinal osteotomy. In order of amount of bone removed, they are:

  • Smith-Peterson osteotomy or SPO, which offers a small amount of correction and is often performed on multiple levels of the spine. This procedure is the least invasive, removing a small piece of bone from the back of the vertebra.
  • Pedicle subtraction osteotomy or PSO, which is often used in the lower back for the treatment of flatback syndrome, a condition in which the lower spine loses its natural curve. A slice or wedge of bone going through the entire vertebral column is removed, allowing more movement for repositioning.
  • Vertebral column resection or VCR, which is the most involved spinal osteotomy surgery. It is almost always performed as part of a spinal reconstruction. One or more entire vertebrae are removed, and the spine is fused into place with rods or screws.

After surgery, it is common to stay in the hospital for several days. Recovery can be slow, and patients will likely need help doing regular activities for the first few weeks. Lifting objects and bending or twisting, such as when getting out of bed or into a car, will be extremely difficult at first. Physical therapy can help patients heal and move. Most daily activities can be resumed after six weeks, and most patients return to full activity, including playing certain sports, within a year.

Although the recovery from spinal osteotomy can be significant, it can be quite effective at reducing pain. Correcting a spinal deformity can also improve appearance and self-esteem, increase balance, and improve stability when moving.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 25%

By Volume:

inpatient hospital care

In 2012, Dr. David Howard Walker, MD performed more inpatient hospital care (for patient admitted to hospital) procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of providers in related specialties within Oregon.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and nerve procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 18
decompression surgery 26
doctor visit 559
hospital care 75
inpatient care 75
nerve procedures 26
spinal procedures 71

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2013 were spinal procedures, hospital care, inpatient care and nerve procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 38
decompression surgery 39
doctor visit 540
hospital care 65
inpatient care 65
neck surgery 16
nerve procedures 39
spinal procedures 89

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 189
Female 194
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 364
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 201
From 75 to 84 88
85 and over 26
Less than 65 68

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2013

Hypertension 64
High Cholesterol 51
Stroke 9
Ischemic Heart Disease 27
Depression 24
Chronic Kidney Disease 17
Asthma 7
Osteoperosis 6
Atrial Fibrilation 7
Heart Failure 15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 19
Diabetes 28
Dementia 6
Cancer 8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2014 were spinal procedures, hospital care, inpatient care and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 26
decompression surgery 21
doctor visit 416
hospital care 32
inpatient care 32
nerve procedures 21
spinal procedures 68

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 143
Female 147
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 276
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 161
From 75 to 84 67
85 and over 19
Less than 65 43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2014

Hypertension 64
High Cholesterol 50
Stroke 9
Ischemic Heart Disease 24
Depression 22
Chronic Kidney Disease 21
Asthma 9
Osteoperosis 5
Atrial Fibrilation 7
Heart Failure 17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 17
Diabetes 26
Dementia 5
Cancer 6

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2015 were spinal procedures, hospital care, inpatient care and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 45
aspiration 27
bone marrow tests 27
decompression surgery 14
doctor visit 398
hospital care 46
inpatient care 46
neck surgery 14
nerve procedures 14
spinal procedures 78

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 320
Female 296
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 580
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 314
From 75 to 84 174
85 and over 32
Less than 65 96

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2015

Hypertension 65
High Cholesterol 50
Stroke 8
Ischemic Heart Disease 24
Depression 23
Chronic Kidney Disease 20
Asthma 17
Osteoperosis 6
Atrial Fibrilation 8
Heart Failure 13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 16
Diabetes 28
Dementia 7
Cancer 4

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2016 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and aspiration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 25
aspiration 26
bone marrow tests 26
doctor visit 322
hospital care 135
inpatient care 135
spinal procedures 51

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 143
Female 136
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 266
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 138
From 75 to 84 70
85 and over 28
Less than 65 43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2016

Hypertension 67
High Cholesterol 45
Stroke 6
Ischemic Heart Disease 30
Depression 26
Chronic Kidney Disease 33
Asthma 23
Osteoperosis 7
Atrial Fibrilation 7
Heart Failure 12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 18
Diabetes 30
Dementia 12
Cancer 9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 44
aspiration 23
bone marrow tests 23
decompression surgery 21
doctor visit 365
hospital care 115
inpatient care 115
neck surgery 21
nerve procedures 21
spinal procedures 82

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 158
Female 153
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 292
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 162
From 75 to 84 80
85 and over 23
Less than 65 46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2017

Hypertension 63
High Cholesterol 43
Stroke 7
Ischemic Heart Disease 31
Depression 23
Chronic Kidney Disease 28
Asthma 12
Osteoperosis 5
Atrial Fibrilation 8
Heart Failure 15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 18
Diabetes 27
Dementia 7
Cancer 11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 26
doctor visit 303
hospital care 67
inpatient care 67
spinal procedures 59

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 137
Female 136
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 256
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 130
From 75 to 84 71
85 and over 26
Less than 65 46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2018

Hypertension 65
High Cholesterol 50
Stroke 10
Ischemic Heart Disease 27
Depression 30
Chronic Kidney Disease 27
Asthma 10
Osteoperosis 8
Atrial Fibrilation 11
Heart Failure 16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 12
Diabetes 27
Dementia 14
Cancer 15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 30
decompression surgery 19
doctor visit 313
hospital care 103
inpatient care 103
neck surgery 19
nerve procedures 19
spinal procedures 72

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 124
Female 147
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 252
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 144
From 75 to 84 69
85 and over 12
Less than 65 46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2019

Hypertension 66
High Cholesterol 48
Stroke 7
Ischemic Heart Disease 30
Depression 29
Chronic Kidney Disease 23
Asthma 11
Osteoperosis 8
Atrial Fibrilation 10
Heart Failure 14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 14
Diabetes 26
Dementia 12
Cancer 10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 22
doctor visit 240
hospital care 87
inpatient care 87
minimally invasive procedures 11
spinal procedures 37

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 116
Female 103
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 198
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 117
From 75 to 84 63
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2020

Hypertension 63
High Cholesterol 48
Stroke 8
Ischemic Heart Disease 28
Depression 30
Chronic Kidney Disease 31
Asthma 9
Osteoperosis 8
Atrial Fibrilation 9
Heart Failure 19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 16
Diabetes 25
Dementia 9
Cancer 11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2021 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit 241
hospital care 80
inpatient care 80

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 109
Female 112
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 207
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 100
From 75 to 84 74
85 and over 15
Less than 65 32

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2021

Hypertension 66
High Cholesterol 54
Stroke 12
Ischemic Heart Disease 27
Depression 31
Chronic Kidney Disease 33
Asthma 7
Osteoperosis 13
Atrial Fibrilation 10
Heart Failure 19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 14
Diabetes 28
Dementia 16
Cancer 12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR during 2022 were hospital care, inpatient care, minimally invasive procedures and spinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 11
doctor visit 238
hospital care 99
inpatient care 99
minimally invasive procedures 11
spinal procedures 11

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 123
Female 113
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 221
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 125
From 75 to 84 73
85 and over 15
Less than 65 23

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD in 2022

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 65
Stroke 21
Ischemic Heart Disease 26
Depression 22
Chronic Kidney Disease 18
Asthma 11
Osteoperosis 11
Atrial Fibrilation 18
Heart Failure 10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 17
Diabetes 28
Dementia 9
Cancer 14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated as a spine surgeon in Medford, OR were hospital care, inpatient care, spinal procedures and arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery).

arthrodesis (bone fusion surgery) 28
aspiration 25
bone marrow tests 25
decompression surgery 23
doctor visit 357
hospital care 82
inpatient care 82
minimally invasive procedures 11
neck surgery 17
nerve procedures 23
spinal procedures 61

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD.

Gender
Male 142
Female 139
Ethnicity
Black / African American 0
Asian / Pacific Islander 0
Non-Hispanic White 264
Hispanic 0
Native American / Alaskan Native 0
Other 0
Age
75 to 84 75
85 and over 17
Less than 65 40
65 to 74 144

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. David Howard Walker, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension 59
High Cholesterol 45
Stroke 8
Ischemic Heart Disease 24
Depression 23
Chronic Kidney Disease 22
Asthma 10
Osteoporosis 7
Heart Failure 13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 14
Diabetes 24
Atrial Fibrillation 8
Cancer 9
Dementia 8

Education & Training

Dr. David Howard Walker, MD graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 1998. He completed residency at University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery and has a state license in Missouri.

Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine (1998)

Residency: University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals (2004)

Board Certification: American Board of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Surgery

Licensed In: Missouri

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. David Howard Walker, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Providence
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
Providence Medford Medical Center
Providence Newberg Medical Center
SOUTHERN OREGON NEUROSURGICAL AND SPINE ASSOCIATES, PC
Southern Oregon Neurosurgical & Spine Associates, PC

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. David Howard Walker, MD has a high overall rating with an average of 4.46 out of 5 stars based on 100 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. David Howard Walker, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Medford, OR. 

4.46
Overall Rating
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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. David Howard Walker, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

Payments by Company
Medtronic USA, Inc. $39,841 MazorX Renaissance
$23,785 		MazorX - Renaissance
$14,712 		CAPSTONE
$969 		O-ARM-Spine
$79 		O-ARM-ST
$76 		Other
$222
Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. $4,257 Thoracolumbar - TL Therapies
$3,799 		Enabling Technologies - NIM, NAV, Power
$247 		Enabling Technologies - NIM NAV Power
$83 		Cervical and Trauma Therapies
$36 		Biologics Therapies
$31 		Other
$62
NUVASIVE, INC. $438 ALIF
$213 		iGA
$135 		XLIF
$77 		Integrated Operative Solutions
$12
Allergan Inc. $54 DALVANCE
$54
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $34 Nuedexta
$34
Types of Payments
Consulting Fee $19,478
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program $17,622
Travel and Lodging $4,858
Food and Beverage $2,654
Education $12

Biography

Dr. David Walker is a spine surgery and neurosurgery specialist. His areas of expertise include the following: bypass surgery, kyphoplasty (vertebral augmentation), and spinal AVM. His professional affiliations include Providence Medford Medical Center, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, and Providence Newberg Medical Center. Dr. Walker obtained his medical school training at Duke University School of Medicine and performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Washington. He has a 4.5 out of 5 star average patient rating.

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