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Research & Data
FAQs
What is the Public Use Data File (PUF)?
How often is the Public Use Data File updated?
How do I obtain data on specific occupations and actions from the Public Use Data File?
Is NPDB information available to the public?
What type of information does the NPDB contain about health care practitioners?
Does the NPDB include all lawsuits filed against health care practitioners?
Are entities such as hospitals included in the MMPRs within the NPDB?
How detailed is the information on physician specialties?
Does the NPDB collect information on the race of health care practitioners?
Can researchers access confidential variables not included in the public use file (PUF)?
Why does the NPDB not fulfill all data requests from researchers?
How prevalent is the use of National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) in NPDB reports?
Is NPDB data specifically designed for research purposes?
Can researchers use NPDB data to identify trends in health care practitioner behavior over time?
Why are certain fields in NPDB data not consistently populated across reports?
Resources
Statement on the Public Use Data File
Public Use Data File - Read Me (Web | PDF - 649 KB)
Research Proposal (DOCX - 92 KB)
