ACGME Shares Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) Information on Access to Physician Data Center

As a resource to the graduate medical education community, the ACGME is sharing the following statement from the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) regarding hospital access to the organization's Physician Data Center. The statement reads (and is available on the FSMB website):

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.