Standardization and uniformity of health care data can facilitate the transfer of clinical information with the potential to enhance the quality of patient care. The task force has researched dozens of provider databases throughout the state. Various health plans and hospitals maintain provider databases to support administrative transactions, provider directories, and credentialing functions. Vendors construct databases for employers to enable them to select providers for their employees. Government agencies use provider databases to support licensing, registration, and sanctioning activities.
Physician information includes address, telephone, specialty, medical school, and graduation date.
The Medical Society also hosts a provider credentialing database. Every electronic provider database will have to incorporate the NPI as the standard identifier. This database could be expanded to serve broader functionality. The Affiliated Health Information Networks of New England would serve as the catalyst to pursue this collaborative effort. Case Study Five health plans in Massachusetts have collaborated on creating a common provider credentialing database and process.