FSMB to Expand Hospital Access to Physician Data Center (PDC)
Waives fees for 30 days
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 16, 2020) – Beginning March 17, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) will offer access to the Physician Data Center (PDC) free of charge for hospitals and other eligible parties. FSMB is dedicated to helping ensure the sharing of essential information that can be used to verify licenses and credentials for physicians and other health care professionals who are being mobilized to provide care to patients as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
To be qualified for access to the PDC, the user must be a:
- Hospital
- Government Agency
- Credentials Verification Service
- Managed Care Facility
- Placement Service
- Medical Group or Clinical Practice
“Many states across the country are declaring public health emergencies and exploring ways to expedite medical licensure for health care providers,” said Humayun Chaudhry, DO, MACP, President and CEO of the FSMB. “Providing expanded access to the PDC will enable hospitals and others to utilize qualified physicians who can deliver care to more patients in areas heavily impacted by COVID-19.”
The PDC is a valuable resource for health care facilities and agencies to ensure that patients are receiving high-quality care. The PDC is continuously updated and is the most comprehensive repository of physician licensure information in the country. Users will be able to instantly verify licensure information and disciplinary history for the more than 1 million licensed physicians and physician assistants in the United States.
Those interested in applying for access to the PDC should email pdc@fsmb.org to learn more. The initial period of no-cost searches will continue for 30 days.
For more information about how state medical boards and the FSMB are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit FSMB’s webpage dedicated to providing resources and information to states and the public about COVID-19.
About the Federation of State Medical Boards:
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing the 71 medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. The FSMB serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best practices. The FSMB serves the public through Docinfo.org, a free physician search tool which provides background information on the nearly 1 million doctors in the United States. To learn more about FSMB, visit www.fsmb.org. You can also follow FSMB on Twitter (@theFSMB).