Last week, CMS announced an enhancement to its physician directory tool with the launch of the first phase of the Physician Compare website, Healthcare IT Newsreports.
The database, mandated by the federal health reform law, provides consumers with more information about health care providers and includes data about quality of care.
The site is designed to be user friendly and to help all individuals — including those who are not Medicare beneficiaries — find health care professionals. In addition to physicians, the database includes lists of:
Clinical psychologists;
Nurse practitioners;
Physical therapists;
Physician assistants;
Occupational therapists; and
Registered dietitians.
The site includes information on:
Contacts and addresses;
Gender;
Medical specialty;
Where the professional completed his or her degree, residency or other training; and
Whether the professional speaks languages besides English.
Physician Compare also shows whether physician practices have submitted data to the CMS Physician Quality Reporting System, formerly known as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (Merrill, Healthcare IT News,12/30/10).
Next Phases
CMS plans further updates to the site. Later this year, the site will show whether health care professionals prescribe medications electronically (Zigmond, Modern Healthcare, 12/30/10).
In addition, the health reform law requires CMS to include more information about quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries by 2013 (Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 12/30/10).
