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Submit Digital Contact information for the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)
Information is collected in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) to facilitate the electronic exchange of health care information such as medical records, order and referrals, and the like, in a safe and secure fashion. Physicians are encouraged to enter “Endpoint information” in NPPES to promote interoperability in health care. However, this information is not required to obtain an NPI. You can still obtain an NPI without providing your electronic information. Endpoints provide a simple, secure, scalable, and standards-based way for participants to send authenticated, encrypted health information directly to known, trusted recipients over the internet. For example, Direct is a technical standard for securely exchanging health information between health care entities such as physicians, specialists, hospitals, and labs in a trusted network. Direct (https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/directbasicsforprovidersqa_05092014.pdf) functions like regular email but with HIPAA security measures in place that ensure the person receiving the message is the intended recipient. Direct addresses are available from a variety of sources, including EHR vendors, public and private health information exchanges, and private service providers offering Direct exchange capabilities called health information service providers (HISPs). In NPPES, physicians can enter their Endpoint information when they request a new NPI or when they update their NPI information. The Endpoint details can be entered on both Individual (Type 1) and Organization (Type 2) NPI applications. This information will be made available on NPI Registry, application provider interfaces (APIs), and Data Dissemination Files for users to receive and consume.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
12/31/2020
To be clear, physicians are not required to enter their electronic information to the CMS NPPES. It is optional, but it’s a way for different healthcare entities (health care entities such as physicians, specialists, hospitals and labs in a trusted network) to reach physicians electronically.
If you do not have Direct exchange capabilities, contact your EHR vendor, a private or public HIE (https://thsa.org/hie/), or a HISP to get set up. Once you have a Direct address, sign into the CMS NPPES (https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/#/). Enter your Endpoint information in the NPPES. Use the CMS help guide (https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/webhelp/nppeshelp/HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE.html) for more information.
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