The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 30, 2007, announced its plans for disseminating physician and provider National Provider Identifiers (NPI) to the public though a national registry.
Physicians have until July 16, 2007, to make changes to their information supplied on the NPI application before it is public.
To learn more about this registry, visit the CMS Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/06a_DataDissemination.asp#TopOfPage.
Also available from CMS is a memo outlining information that will be shared though the registry: www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/Downloads/NPPES_FOIA_Data%20Elements_062007.pdf.
While the American Medical Association (AMA) supports implementation of the NPI, it has concerns regarding the potential for identity theft from the posting of physician information. The AMA has prepared a memo outlining its concerns as well as steps physicians should take to ensure privacy.
Download the memo from the AASM Web site at www.aasm.org/resources/pdf/cmsdisseminationplans.pdf.
