Accepting new patients
Accepting new patients, also called panel status, is the directory field that says whether a provider is taking on patients they haven't seen before. It is one of the fields most often wrong, and one of the most frustrating for members.
Why is panel status so often wrong?
It changes often, sometimes week to week, and practices rarely tell every plan when it does. A provider can also be open to some plans and closed to others, or open at one location and not another.
Is it required in directories?
Yes, in many programs. Medicaid managed care rules require directories to show whether each provider will accept new enrollees. It was also one of the fields CMS checked in its reviews of Medicare Advantage directories.
How can it be checked?
By asking the practice, which is slow at scale, or by looking for evidence such as recent first visits from new patients in claims data, then confirming the records that look stale.