| MDNUM4_R - Physician 4 number (re-identified) |
| Documentation Sections: |
| General Notes |
| Uniform Values |
| State Specific Notes |
| General Notes |
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MDNUM4_R is an arbitrarily chosen re-identified identifier for physicians created during HCUP data processing. If the original physician identifier is based on a state license number or Universal Physician Identification Number (UPIN), then MDNUM4_R can be used to track a physician across hospitals. If the original physician identifier is based on hospital-specific identifiers, then it can only be used to track physicians within a hospital. Except in those data sources where physician license numbers are supplied, it is not known whether the physician identifier refers to individual physicians or to groups. MDNUM4_R cannot be linked to any external database in order to obtain additional physician characteristic information.Refer to state-specific notes for more information about the type of physician identifiers provided by each state. Because of a change in the algorithm for creating a masked physician number, physicians cannot be tracked from before 2003 to after 2003. In HCUP data prior to 2003, a synthetic physician number (MDNUM4_S), created using fixed-key encryption, was available. Starting in data year 2003, a reidentification number (MDNUM4_R) was used. |
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| Uniform Values | ||||||||||
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| State Specific Notes |
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Arkansas Beginning in 2016, Akansas provides the National Provider Identifier (NPI) for the type of physician identifier. In Arkansas data, four types of physician identifiers are available:
Physician identification numbers may not accurately track physicians within and across hospitals. Arkansas provides Universal Physician Identification Numbers (UPINs) and state license numbers. The provided physician identifiers are encrypted during HCUP processing. Beginning in 2008, Arkansas also provides National Provider Identifier. District of Columbia In data year 2018, the source data provided by the HCUP Partner was missing a leading digit from some of the physician identification numbers. This will impact the reidentified value. In District of Columbia, four types of physician identifiers are available:
District of Columbia provides a combination of National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Universal Physician Identification Number (UPIN). Georgia In Georgia four types of physician identifiers are available beginning 2008:
Physician identification numbers may not accurately track physicians within and across hospitals. Prior to 2008, either the physician's state license number or the Universal Physician Identification Number (UPIN) were used to identify the physician. Beginning 2008, the national provider identification numbers (NPI) is provided. The provided physician identifiers are encrypted during HCUP processing. Kentucky Beginning in 2017, Kentucky replaced the two consulting practitioner NPI numbers by the referring practitioner NPI (HCUP MDNUM3) and the patient's family practitioner NPI (HCUP MDNUM4). Beginning in 2012, Kentucky supplies two additional consulting practitioner NPI numbers that are saved as HCUP data element MDNUM3 and MDNUM4. Beginning October 2009, only NPIs accepted as valid IDs for both facilities and clinicians.
Physician identification numbers may not accurately track physicians within and across hospitals. Kentucky collects two different types of physician identifiers, National Provider Identifier (NPI) and state license numbers. |
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| Internet Citation: HCUP Central Distributor SID Description of Data Elements - All States. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). October 2024. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/db/vars/siddistnote.jsp?var=mdnum4_r. |
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| Last modified 10/16/24 |
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