Provider record matching
Definition
Provider record matching is working out which records, across different systems and sources, describe the same provider or practice location, so they can be merged into one accurate record.
By the Candor Health team
Last reviewed
Also called entity resolution and provider matching
Why is matching hard?
The same doctor can appear under different name spellings, several addresses, multiple groups and more than one identifier. Two different doctors can share a name. Locations are written in many formats.
How is it done?
Using shared keys such as the NPI where available, then comparing names, addresses, phone numbers, specialties and affiliations, with rules or models deciding when two records are the same.
Why does it matter?
Bad matching creates duplicate listings or merges two providers into one. Both make a directory wrong and confuse members.