Primary source verification (PSV)
Definition
Primary source verification is checking a provider's credential directly with the organization that issued it, such as a state licensing board, medical school or certification board, rather than accepting a copy from the provider.
By the Candor Health team
Last reviewed
Why go to the primary source?
Copies can be out of date or wrong. The issuing organization is the authority on whether a license is active or a certification is current.
Where is it used?
Mainly in credentialing. The same idea applies to directory data: the best evidence of where a provider practices is the practice itself and the claims billed from that location, not an old form.
How does it relate to directory verification?
Directory verification looks for independent evidence of each field, such as claims activity, practice websites and licensing records, instead of relying on one self-reported source.