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Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD

(Dr. James Witten Jr., MD)

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Specializes in: Adult Pulmonology

Professional interests include: lung issues, acute bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and more.

1802 Braeburn Drive
Salem, VA 24153

(540) 772-3540

Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD is a pulmonologist in Salem, VA specializing in adult pulmonology. Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD is affiliated with LewisGale Medical Center and HCA Virginia.

Office Locations

HCA Virginia

1802 Braeburn Drive
Salem, VA 24153

(540) 772-3540

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Some issues Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD can help you with:

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the tissue and airways of the lungs become extremely sensitive to certain substances. When these substances are breathed in, the lungs become inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten and squeeze the lungs, and passages within the lungs swell and tighten. The airways themselves produce mucus, which further clogs the tightened, swollen airways. A person having an asthma attack finds it very difficult to breathe, and a severe attack can even be fatal.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but people with asthma are most often diagnosed as children. Symptoms can include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and coughing. Some people have mild symptoms all the time, and some people have no symptoms at all, but everyone with asthma is susceptible to occasional severe attacks or flare-ups of symptoms when they are exposed to triggers. Triggers vary widely but can include:

Allergens (dust mites, pet fur, mold, pollen, grass)
Irritants (smoke, pollution, dust, chemicals)
Viral infections
Physical activity, especially outdoors
Certain medications or chemicals in foods (aspirin, sulfites)

Treatment for most asthma patients involves three steps. Patients learn what their asthma triggers are and avoid them. They take a daily control medication, usually an inhaled corticosteroid, to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Also, they have rescue medication with them at all times to take in case of a severe attack. These quick-acting inhaled medications relax the muscles around the airways and allow the lungs to open up for air.

There is no cure for asthma, but with treatment it should not interfere with daily life and activities.

Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure in which a thin tube with a camera, called a bronchoscope, is inserted in the mouth or nose and slowly advanced to the lungs. This allows doctors to see the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchi (airways), and lungs. Doctors may recommend those who have or show signs of lung problems - for example, lung cancer or difficulty breathing - to undergo a bronchoscopy.

In performing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, doctors may only wish to visualize the respiratory tract, or doctors may also collect samples of tissue or fluid. The samples can help diagnose patients' conditions or, if patients have cancer, they can be used for staging purposes. One method for sample collection is bronchoalveolar lavage. In a bronchoalveolar lavage, doctors inject saline (salt water) through the bronchoscope and then suction it out of the airways. The washout collected is tested for lung disorders. Doctors can also insert a biopsy tool to collect tissue or mucus samples. The following are biopsies that can be performed by bronchoscopy:

Brush biopsy, which uses a brush to collect samples.
Endobronchial biopsy, which uses the bronchoscope to guide forceps to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial biopsy, which uses forceps and image guidance - such as X-rays, CT scans, or fluoroscopy - to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial fine needle aspiration (TBNA), which uses a small needle to take samples of the lymph nodes or lungs.

For visualization, bronchoscopy can be done alone, or it can be combined with ultrasound. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) allows real-time imaging of the airway and is used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, as well as for determining where the cancer has spread. EBUS can be performed with TBNA, a procedure known as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).

Doctors can also use bronchoscopy as a treatment for lung problems. For example, if a foreign body is trapped in the airway, doctors can insert forceps through the bronchoscope to remove it. If the airway has become narrowed - which may occur if patients have an infection, cancer, or some other inflammatory issue - bronchoscopy can be used to place a device called a stent in the area of constriction. The stent will keep the airway open, allowing the patient to breathe properly.

During a bronchoscopy, patients will be given medication (sedative) to help them relax. If it is only a diagnostic bronchoscopy, patients will be kept awake, but if the bronchoscopy is for therapeutic purposes, patients will be put to sleep by general anesthesia. After the procedure, patients will need to stay in the hospital for a few hours. They will not be able to eat or drink for about 2 hours. Some patients may experience discomfort, such as a sore throat or pain while swallowing. Throat lozenges and gargling may help alleviate these symptoms, which should go away after a few days. Patients will need to have someone drive them home once their doctor determines that they are ready.

Lung Issues

Every cell in the body requires oxygen to function and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. In order to keep the body's tissues constantly supplied with fresh oxygen and to keep waste from building up, the lungs pump air in and out, even while sleeping or unaware. Unfortunately, diseases and disorders affecting the lungs are some of the most common medical problems afflicting people around the world. Some of the most common lung problems include asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and lung cancer.

Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.

Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.

Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., 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. James A. Witten JR., MD performed more inpatient hospital care (for patient admitted to hospital) procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of providers in related specialties within Virginia.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and blood draw.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

blood draw	48
catheterization	11
doctor visit	1478
hospital care	1783
inpatient care	1783
preventive care	43
pulmonary testing	126
vaccines	43

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2013 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and blood draw.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

blood draw	30
catheterization	23
doctor visit	1462
hospital care	2037
inpatient care	2037
preventive care	26
pulmonary testing	188
vaccines	26

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	336
Female	482

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	733
Black	69
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	313
From 75 to 84	258
85 and over	145
Less than 65	102

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	25
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	60
Diabetes	41
Dementia	13
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2014 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and blood draw.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

blood draw	52
bronchoscopy	15
catheterization	25
doctor visit	1490
hospital care	1741
inpatient care	1741
lab tests	14
pulmonary testing	254

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	361
Female	489

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	761
Black	70
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	332
From 75 to 84	275
85 and over	137
Less than 65	106

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	56
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	28
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	22
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	60
Diabetes	38
Dementia	12
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

catheterization	24
doctor visit	1438
hospital care	1922
inpatient care	1922
pulmonary testing	312

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	704
Female	994

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1536
Black	134
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	648
From 75 to 84	564
85 and over	288
Less than 65	198

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	50
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	24
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	63
Diabetes	39
Dementia	14
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2016 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

catheterization	24
doctor visit	1320
hospital care	1724
inpatient care	1724
pulmonary testing	235

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	330
Female	464

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	716
Black	61
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	269
From 75 to 84	299
85 and over	132
Less than 65	94

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	74
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	23
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	64
Diabetes	43
Dementia	20
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and bronchoscopy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	15
catheterization	11
doctor visit	1333
hospital care	1609
inpatient care	1609
pulmonary testing	220

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	345
Female	494

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	762
Black	61
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	320
From 75 to 84	294
85 and over	129
Less than 65	96

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	39
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	59
Diabetes	40
Dementia	19
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1375
hospital care	1391
inpatient care	1391
pulmonary testing	339

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	330
Female	473

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	739
Black	51
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	319
From 75 to 84	286
85 and over	122
Less than 65	76

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	43
Asthma	25
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	62
Diabetes	38
Dementia	17
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1473
hospital care	1297
inpatient care	1297
pulmonary testing	279

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	296
Female	465

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	699
Black	50
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	294
From 75 to 84	266
85 and over	121
Less than 65	80

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	44
Asthma	27
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	63
Diabetes	40
Dementia	15
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1067
hospital care	643
inpatient care	643
pulmonary testing	253

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	256
Female	368

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	580
Black	32
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	253
From 75 to 84	235
85 and over	83
Less than 65	53

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2020

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	43
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	36
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	58
Diabetes	39
Dementia	12
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1071
hospital care	399
inpatient care	399
pulmonary testing	144

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	222
Female	342

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	523
Black	29
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	225
From 75 to 84	222
85 and over	77
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	41
Asthma	30
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	33
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	55
Diabetes	38
Dementia	11
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA during 2022 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	1060
hospital care	400
inpatient care	400
pulmonary testing	167

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	235
Female	302

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	500
Black	22
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	207
From 75 to 84	228
85 and over	69
Less than 65	33

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	33
Osteoperosis	18
Atrial Fibrilation	27
Heart Failure	30
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	61
Diabetes	39
Dementia	7
Cancer	20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated as a pulmonologist in Salem, VA were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and blood draw.

blood draw	43
bronchoscopy	15
catheterization	19
doctor visit	1324
hospital care	1358
inpatient care	1358
lab tests	14
preventive care	34
pulmonary testing	228
vaccines	34

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD.

**Gender**
Male	310
Female	443

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	52
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	686
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	266
85 and over	118
Less than 65	79
65 to 74	289

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	56
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	44
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	31
Osteoporosis	9
Heart Failure	34
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	55
Diabetes	35
Atrial Fibrillation	19
Dementia	12
Cancer	14

Education & Training

He completed residency at University of Maryland Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the pulmonary disease by the American Board of the American College of Chest Physicians and the Roanoke Valley Academy of Medicine and has a state license in Virginia.

Residency: University of Maryland Affiliated Hospitals (1975)

Board Certification: pulmonary disease by the American Board of the American College of Chest Physicians and the Roanoke Valley Academy of Medicine

Licensed In: Virginia

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

LewisGale Medical Center

HCA Virginia

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. James A. Witten JR., MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.	$104,044 TRELEGY ELLIPTA $53,807	ANORO $11,870	BREO $6,680	ANORO ELLIPTA $4,932	BREO ELLIPTA $3,800	Other $22,956
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP	$65,820 SYMBICORT $40,063	DALIRESP $21,964	FASENRA $1,435	BEVESPI AEROSPHERE $835	BREZTRI $534	Other $989
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$40,817 Spiriva $4,951	STIOLTO RESPIMAT $4,384	STRIVERDI RESPIMAT $3,776	STIOLTO $3,334	SPIRIVA RESPIMAT $2,142	Other $22,230
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.	$32,727 Lonhala Magnair $19,980	Brovana $6,764	UTIBRON $5,967	Alvesco $16
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.	$23,242 QVAR $13,641	PROAIR $3,481	RESPICLICK $2,774	QNASL $2,609	PROAIR RESPICLICK $500	Other $238
Other	$48,676 DALIRESP $19,359	Perforomist $6,849	XOLAIR $5,129	TUDORZA $2,235	DUPIXENT $1,965	Other $13,140

**Types of Payments**
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$225,009
Food and Beverage	$36,006
Travel and Lodging	$27,574
Consulting Fee	$16,104
Honoraria	$10,150
Other	$482

Biography

Dr. James Witten is a specialist in adult pulmonology. He works in Salem, VA. His areas of expertise include breathing treatment, acute bronchitis, and bronchoscopy. After attending Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine, Dr. Witten completed his residency training at a hospital affiliated with the University of Maryland. He is affiliated with LewisGale Medical Center and HCA Virginia.