How to Find Neurologists by Zip Code
Data sourced from live CMS NPI Registry API v2.1 queries, run June 13, 2026. All provider counts are real API responses, not estimates. Raw query results are available for download. See methodology below.
taxonomy_description=Neurology. Two traps to know before you query: (1) Neurologist returns zero results — the CMS string is the specialty name, not the practitioner noun. (2) Neurological Surgery is a completely separate CMS taxonomy for neurosurgeons (200+ nationally on June 13, 2026) — a neurology call list built from that string contains zero medical neurologists. This guide covers real counts from 9 markets, the full subspecialty taxonomy table with NUCC codes, a Memphis dataset drill-down, and radius guidance.
taxonomy_description=Neurological+Surgery returned 200+ records nationally (June 13, 2026) — all neurosurgeons who perform operative procedures on brains and spines. taxonomy_description=Neurology returns medical neurologists who manage MS, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and stroke recovery with medications and procedures. These are distinct NUCC codes (207T00000X vs 2084N0400X), distinct product categories, and distinct call targets. A rep building a neurology call list who accidentally queries Neurological Surgery will fill their territory with surgeons their product was never designed for.
Neurology in the NPI registry: real counts from 9 markets
We queried the CMS NPI API v2.1 on June 13, 2026 with taxonomy_description=Neurology
across nine representative markets.
| Market | Query scope | NPI records returned | At 200-record cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Los Angeles, CA | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Chicago, IL | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Houston, TX | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Phoenix, AZ | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Nashville, TN | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Memphis, TN | City filter | 159 | No (complete) |
| Vermont (statewide) | State filter | 109 | No (complete) |
| Wyoming (statewide) | State filter | 58 | No (complete) |
Source: CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, taxonomy_description=Neurology, limit=200. Queried June 13, 2026. Counts include both individual providers (NPI-1) and organization records (NPI-2) such as neurology group practices and hospital neurology departments.
Neurology subspecialties: the taxonomy table
Each taxonomy string below operates independently in the NPI API. A Neurology query
returns a mixed set; dedicated subspecialty queries let you isolate specific practitioner types for
product-appropriate call planning.
| Subspecialty | taxonomy_description value | NUCC code | National June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General neurologist | Neurology |
2084N0400X | 200+ (capped) |
| Vascular neurologist (stroke) | Vascular Neurology |
2084V0102X | 200+ (capped) |
| Neuromuscular specialist | Neuromuscular Medicine |
2084N0008X | 200+ (capped) |
| Epileptologist | Epilepsy |
2084E0001X | 200+ (capped) |
| Clinical neurophysiologist | Clinical Neurophysiology |
204R00000X | 200+ (capped) |
| Child neurologist | Neurology with Special Qualifications in Child Neurology |
2084N0402X | 200+ (capped) |
| Brain injury specialist | Brain Injury Medicine |
2081P0301X | 200+ (capped) |
| Neurosurgeon (separate specialty — NOT a neurologist) | Neurological Surgery |
207T00000X | 200+ (capped) |
How to search for neurologists by zip code (5 steps)
Choose your search method
- NPI registry directly at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov — free, no account, city or state filter only. No radius search.
- getdork Physician Search — same CMS API with zip-radius filtering, the exact taxonomy string pre-mapped, and CSV export. Search neurologists by ZIP →
Use the correct taxonomy string: Neurology
The exact API parameter is taxonomy_description=Neurology. "Neurologist" returns
zero results. The numeric NUCC code 2084N0400X is silently ignored by the API.
In getdork, selecting Neurology from the dropdown sends the correct string automatically.
Confirm you are not querying Neurological Surgery
Before running any automated pipeline, verify your taxonomy string is Neurology
and not Neurological+Surgery. These are easy to confuse in autocomplete or
copy-paste workflows. Neurological Surgery returned 200+ records nationally (June 2026) —
all neurosurgeons whose product access model and procedure orientation differ entirely from
medical neurologists.
Run subspecialty queries separately if needed
A standard Neurology query returns a mixed set: general neurologists, epileptologists,
vascular neurologists, child neurologists, and Neurocritical Care physicians. For product-specific
call lists — a CGRP inhibitor for migraine, an MS biologic, or epilepsy monitoring devices
— the subspecialty taxonomy strings in the table above each require a separate API call.
In getdork, you can run multiple specialty searches in one session.
Export to CSV (Pro) and segment before CRM import
Pro users export the complete result set. Column headers: NPI, Name, Credential, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone, Entity Type. The taxonomy description column shows each provider's subspecialty registration — segment Neurocritical Care and child neurologists from outpatient-focused practitioners before loading into your CRM.
Direct API queries
# Medical neurologists in Memphis, TN — returned 159 records (June 2026) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Neurology &city=Memphis &state=TN &limit=200 # WRONG — Neurological Surgery returns neurosurgeons, not neurologists https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Neurological+Surgery &city=Memphis &state=TN &limit=200 # Epileptologists only — separate subspecialty query https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Epilepsy &state=TN &limit=200 # Vascular neurologists (stroke specialists) — separate query https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Vascular+Neurology &state=TN &limit=200
Radius guidance for neurology territories
| Market type | Recommended starting radius | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Dense urban (NYC, Chicago, LA, Houston) | 10–15 miles | All four metros hit the 200-cap; neurology has strong urban density driven by academic medical centers and hospital neurology departments |
| Mid-metro (Memphis, Nashville, Phoenix) | 25 miles | Memphis: 159 records (complete); Nashville: 200+ (capped); Phoenix: 200+ (capped). 25 miles captures suburban neurology practices and clinic satellites. |
| Rural (Wyoming, Vermont) | 50–75 miles | Wyoming: 58 statewide; Vermont: 109 statewide. Neurology thins considerably in rural areas. A 50-mile radius from the state's main metro captures the majority of the territory. |
getdork sends
taxonomy_description=Neurology — not Neurological Surgery —
and handles the zip-radius math. The exported CSV flags subspecialties in the taxonomy column
so you can separate epileptologists, child neurologists, and Neurocritical Care before your
CRM import. Free to preview; Pro for the full list and CSV export.
Search neurologists by ZIP code — free →
Frequently asked questions
Does "Neurological Surgery" return neurologists in the NPI registry?
No. Neurological Surgery (NUCC 207T00000X) is the CMS taxonomy for neurosurgeons
who perform operative procedures on the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves.
Neurology (2084N0400X) is for medical neurologists. Nationally, Neurological Surgery
returned 200+ records on June 13, 2026 — all surgeons, zero medical neurologists. A call list
built from the wrong query targets the wrong specialty category entirely.
Why does "Neurologist" return zero results in the NPI API?
CMS NPI taxonomy strings are specialty names, not practitioner nouns. The correct string is
Neurology. The pattern repeats: "Cardiologist" → 0 (use "Cardiovascular Disease"),
"Endocrinologist" → 0 (use "Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism"),
"Rheumatologist" → 0 (use "Rheumatology"). Always use the specialty discipline name.
How are neurology subspecialists distributed in a standard NPI query?
In Memphis (159 records, June 2026): 96 plain Neurology, 20 Child Neurology, 7 Epilepsy, 5 Neurocritical Care, 3 Vascular Neurology, 3 Neuromuscular Medicine, and 25 records with neurology as a secondary taxonomy. Each subspecialty requires a dedicated separate query for a clean subspecialty-only list.
What NPI entity types appear in a neurology query, and does it matter for call planning?
In Memphis (159 records): 127 NPI-1 (individual physicians) and 32 NPI-2 (group practices and hospital neurology departments). NPI-2 records flag group environments where purchasing access may go through a department administrator rather than an individual physician. Hospital-employed neurologists (NPI-1 at a hospital address) may require a different call access model.
What device and pharma products drive a neurology call list?
MS therapies (interferons, natalizumab, ocrelizumab, siponimod), migraine biologics (CGRP inhibitors: erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab), anti-epileptic drugs and SUDEP monitoring devices, Parkinson's therapies (dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors) and deep brain stimulation consults, Alzheimer's treatments (lecanemab, donanemab), EMG/nerve conduction consumables, and botulinum toxin for chronic migraine and spasticity. Vascular neurologists are targets for stroke treatment devices and tPA protocols.
How does Neurocritical Care appear in a standard Neurology NPI query?
Neurocritical Care (NUCC 2084N0600X) records appear in a standard Neurology query because the parent Neurology taxonomy is in their record. In Memphis, 5 of 159 records showed Neurocritical Care as primary taxonomy. These physicians work primarily in neuro-ICUs and are generally not targets for outpatient product categories. Flag them separately using the taxonomy description column in your exported CSV before routing to territory reps.
Data methodology
All provider counts come from direct queries to the CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, run on
June 13, 2026. We used taxonomy_description=Neurology and limit=200.
No authentication required. Result_count reflects records returned on that page; when equal
to 200 the actual total exceeds 200. Counts below 200 are exact.
We also confirmed: Neurologist → 0 results; Neurological Surgery
→ 200+ neurosurgeons (separate taxonomy); Vascular Neurology,
Neuromuscular Medicine, Epilepsy, Clinical Neurophysiology,
and Brain Injury Medicine each returned 200+ nationally.
Raw responses: npi-neurology-memphis-tn-raw.json, npi-neurology-vermont-raw.json. Collection script: _data/npi-counts-neurology.ps1.
Related guides
- How to search the NPI registry (full guide) — complete API reference and the taxonomy_description quirk explained in detail.
- What is an NPI number and what can you look up? — NPI types, fields, and data freshness.
- How to find physicians by specialty and state — state-level NPI searches across specialties.
- How to find gastroenterologists by zip code — another specialty where common abbreviations (GI, Gastrointestinal) return zero results.
- How to find rheumatologists by zip code — a sparse specialty where rural radius guidance is critical.