National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- A 10-digit unique identification number that healthcare providers use to identify themselves in electronic health transactions.
- Mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Required for healthcare providers to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Patient Demographic (PD)
- Information about a patient's personal characteristics, such as name, address, date of birth, and gender.
- Collected to ensure accurate patient identification and facilitate communication between healthcare providers.
- Often used in conjunction with the NPI to create a patient-provider linkage for billing and record-keeping purposes.