How we verify healthcare professionals

1. Why we verify

Healthcare research guides decisions about medicines, devices and services. Answers from someone who is not the professional they claim to be would mislead that work, so every professional is verified before they are invited to professional studies. The industry codes we follow, from the BHBIA, EphMRA and ESOMAR, expect researchers to confirm that respondents are who they say they are.

2. Who can join as a professional

HealthChorus is open to licensed healthcare professionals practising in the United States:

• Physician (MD or DO)
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant
• Registered nurse
• Pharmacist
• Dentist
• Optometrist
• Podiatrist
• Psychologist
• Registered dietitian
• Physical therapist
• Other licensed healthcare professional

Most professions need a National Provider Identifier (NPI). Everyone gives their state licence number and the state where they practise.

3. What we check

When you confirm your email address, we look up your NPI in the NPI Registry, the public register run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We check that:

• the NPI belongs to an individual, not an organisation, and is active;
• the name on the registry matches the name you joined with;
• the registry's taxonomy (the type of provider) matches the profession you chose; and
• a licence on the registry matches the licence state and number you gave.

If everything matches, you are verified within minutes and can be invited to professional studies straight away.

4. When a person reviews it

Names change, registries lag behind, and some professions do not need an NPI. If anything does not match, a member of our team looks at it as soon as they can. They may verify you, ask you for more information, or explain why we cannot verify you. You can reply through our support team if you think we got it wrong.

5. If we ask for a document

Sometimes we ask for a copy of your licence, a staff badge or a letter from your employer. Uploading one is optional; it just helps when the registry check is not enough.

• Documents are encrypted as soon as they arrive and can only be opened by our verification team. Every time one is opened, it is recorded.
• We delete documents 30 days after your verification is decided. We keep only the outcome.
• Please cover anything we do not need, such as a photo or home address.

6. Checking again

Licences can lapse, so we check the registry again about every 12 months. If your details no longer match, we will ask you to update them before you are invited to more professional studies.

7. Patients and carers

Patients and carers are not clinically verified, because there is no register to check. We confirm your email address, check sign-ups for duplicate or false accounts, and ask about your health only with your consent. How HealthChorus works for patients and carers.

8. Your information

We use your professional details only to verify you and to match you to studies. Clients receive de-identified answers, never your name, NPI or licence number. Read the privacy policy for the full detail and your rights.