Physician direct dial database: definition, vendor scorecard, and call-block test

Ben Argeband, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat.ai — Practical: decision guide + vetting checklist + scripts.

Physician recruiting breaks when your team spends prime call blocks stuck in switchboards, voicemail trees, and front-desk gatekeeping. A physician direct dial database should reduce that friction, but only if it’s built around identity, line type, refresh, and suppression—not just volume.

This page is about vetting and operationally testing a physician direct dial database so you can improve speed-to-connect and reduce wrong-person outreach. It is not a general phone discovery guide.

What’s on this page:

Who this is for

Recruiters trying to avoid dialing switchboards all day—agency, in-house, or locums—who need a workflow that fits real call windows and protects candidate experience.

Quick Answer

Core Answer: A physician direct dial database is an identity-matched set of direct-to-person numbers (not switchboards) labeled by line type, refreshed regularly, and governed by suppression for opt-outs.
Key Insight: Direct dial does not automatically mean mobile; line type changes who answers and when. Compare sources with controlled call blocks and consistent dispositions.
Best For: Recruiters trying to avoid dialing switchboards all day.

Compliance & Safety

This method is for legitimate recruiting outreach only. Always respect candidate privacy, opt-out requests, and local data laws. Heartbeat does not provide medical advice or legal counsel.

Framework: The Direct Dial Reality Check: Identity → Line Type → Answerability

Identity: Can you prove the number belongs to the intended physician (not a spouse, colleague, or a reassigned number)? Use NPI and license matching as anchors.
Line type: Is it a switchboard, office direct line, or mobile? Direct dial ≠ always mobile.
Answerability: Given your call windows, what’s the probability of a human answer and a real conversation?

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Use a recruiting-grade direct dial definition (so vendors can’t hand-wave)

Direct dial definition (recruiting use): a phone number intended to reach the physician without routing through a switchboard, with the number tied to the correct physician identity and labeled by line type.

In practice, you’ll see three buckets:

Switchboard / main line: operator, IVR, or front desk routing. Not a direct dial for placement speed.
Office direct line: rings to a specific office/extension or direct office phone. Useful during clinic hours, often staff-answered.
Mobile: often the best chance of reaching the physician directly, but only if identity and opt-out handling are tight.

For a deeper breakdown, see office line vs direct dial vs mobile (recruiting expectations).

Step 2: Require identity keys before you care about record count

Identity matching is what prevents wrong-person outreach at scale. Minimum requirements:

NPI: stable provider identifier used as a baseline anchor.
License matching: cross-checking identity against licensing data to reduce mismatches and stale records.
Correction loop: a way to update or suppress records when you learn a number is wrong-person or reassigned.

Step 3: Demand line type labeling per record (because answerability depends on it)

Line type is operational, not cosmetic. A number can be “direct” and still underperform if it’s office direct after-hours or a shared staff line.

Require line type at the record level (not “we have it sometimes”).
Require that line type is filterable/exportable so recruiters can sequence outreach.

Step 4: Treat phone quality like email quality: verification + refresh + suppression

Phone data decays. Numbers get reassigned. Practices change vendors. Physicians change roles. Buying static lists is risky because of decay. The modern standard is Access + Refresh + Verification + Suppression.

Verification: is the number active and reachable?
Refresh cadence: how often are records updated, and do updates apply to existing records (not just new adds)?
Suppression: can you suppress opt-outs and wrong-person reports across your whole team?

What suppression means in practice: a team-wide do-not-contact control that is applied before dialing or messaging. It should be exportable, re-usable across tools, and updated from recruiter dispositions (opt-out and wrong-person).

Operational reference: phone validation for provider direct dials.

Step 5: What to request in a sample export

If a vendor can’t provide these fields in a sample export, you can’t properly test or govern the data:

Physician identity keys: NPI, full name, specialty, and current/prior practice location signals
License matching fields: license state and license number (or an equivalent match key), plus match method notes if available
Phone fields: number, line type (switchboard vs office direct vs mobile), and any confidence/provenance indicator
Freshness fields: last refresh date or last verification indicator (even if it’s a categorical flag)
Governance fields: opt-out flag and suppression eligibility (so you can prevent re-contact)

Step 6: Procurement questions to ask before you sign

Refresh cadence: “How often do you refresh existing records, and how do we receive updates?”
Corrections: “If we mark a number wrong-person or opt-out, how does that correction get applied going forward?”
Suppression portability: “Can we export our suppression list and re-apply it if we change tools?”
Audit trail: “Can we see when a record changed and why (change log)?”
Line type coverage: “Is line type labeled per record, and what percentage of records have it?”

Step 7: Run a controlled call-block test so you can compare sources fairly

Don’t evaluate a database on anecdotes. Use a repeatable call-block test:

Pull a representative sample of physicians (same specialty mix and geography) from each source.
Use the same recruiter, same script, and the same time window across sources.
Log dispositions consistently: wrong person, gatekeeper, voicemail, human answer, opt-out.

Measure this by… tracking outcomes per 100 dials and per 100 connected calls, and splitting results by line type (mobile vs office direct).

Use these canonical definitions (keep them consistent across your team):

Connect Rate = connected calls / total dials (per 100 dials).
Answer Rate = human answers / connected calls (per 100 connected calls).

Step 8: Sequence outreach by line type and call window (a simple decision path)

Here’s a practical sequencing rule that reduces wasted dials:

Scenario	Start with	Then	Why it works
Early/late call windows	Mobile	Office direct during clinic hours	Higher chance of direct physician pickup outside front-desk coverage
Midday clinic hours	Office direct	Mobile if you have permission or prior engagement	Staff can route messages or schedule a callback
Large group practice	Mobile (if identity confidence is high)	Office direct + practice manager path	Shared lines and gatekeeping are common
Private practice setting (owner-led decision path)	Office direct + manager path	Mobile with careful opt-out handling	Decision-makers often prefer structured follow-up

Step 9: Prioritize numbers to protect recruiter time

Once identity and line type are solid, prioritization is where speed shows up. Heartbeat.ai supports workflows that include ranked mobile numbers by answer probability so recruiters start with the best shot first, then fall back to alternates.

The trade-off is… prioritization helps speed-to-connect, but it only works if your team logs outcomes consistently so suppression stays clean and you don’t recycle bad numbers.

Diagnostic Table:

What you’re seeing	Likely cause	What to do next	What to ask the vendor
High Connect Rate but low real conversations	IVR/switchboard counted as “connected”; office lines after-hours	Track Answer Rate; split results by line type; adjust call windows	“How do you define a connected call? Do you label line type per record?”
Wrong-person answers	Weak identity matching; number reassignment; stale records	Require NPI + license matching; suppress wrong-person numbers across the team	“What identity keys back each number? How do you handle reassignment and corrections?”
Front desk answers on “direct” numbers	Office direct line, not mobile; shared line in group practice	Use office direct during clinic hours; add a manager path; sequence mobile-first in early/late windows	“How do you distinguish office direct vs switchboard vs mobile?”
Opt-outs not honored across recruiters	No centralized suppression; notes trapped in personal inboxes	Implement a shared opt-out list; enforce suppression before dialing	“How do you store and apply opt-out suppression across users and exports?”
Line type exists only in aggregate reporting, not per record (mini-case)	Vendor can’t support sequencing; recruiters can’t filter or test by line type	Reject the dataset for direct dial use; require per-record line type in exports and API	“Show me line type in the export for 50 random records.”

Weighted Checklist:

Use this vendor scorecard to evaluate any physician direct dial database. Total 100 points. If a vendor won’t answer, score it as 0.

Category	Weight	Pass criteria
Identity keys (VENDOR_SCORECARD)	30	Numbers are tied to physician identity using NPI and license matching; confidence/provenance is explainable
Line type labeling	20	Line type present per record (switchboard vs office direct vs mobile) and usable in workflow
Refresh cadence	15	Documented update frequency; updates apply to existing records; change logs available
Stop handling (consent, opt-out, suppression)	15	Central opt-out capture; suppression applied across users and exports; audit trail supported
Proof (sample + test plan)	10	Provides a representative sample and supports a controlled call-block test with clear metric definitions
Workflow fit	10	Integrates with ATS/CRM/dialer or provides clean exports; supports dispositions and suppression feedback

Decision rule: If Identity keys + Stop handling score under 35/45 combined, don’t buy. You’ll pay for it in wrong-person calls, opt-out cleanup, and brand damage with physicians.

Outreach Templates:

Template 1: Mobile call opener (identity + permission in 20 seconds)

Opener: “Hi Dr. [Last Name]—this is [Name]. Did I catch you at an okay time for 20 seconds?”
If yes: “I recruit [specialty/role] physicians. We have a [role] opening in [market] with [one concrete hook]. Are you open to details, or should I follow up another time?”
If wrong person: “Thanks—sorry about that. I’ll remove this number.” (Log wrong-person; suppress.)
If not interested: “Understood. Do you want me to mark you as do-not-contact for recruiting outreach?” (Honor opt-out.)

Template 2: Office direct line (staff-answered)

“Hi—can you help me reach Dr. [Last Name]? This is [Name]. I’m calling about a physician opportunity. Is there a best time or preferred method for recruiting inquiries?”
If blocked: “No problem—should I send details to the practice manager, or is there a preferred email for recruiting messages?”

Template 3: Voicemail (minimal + respectful)

“Dr. [Last Name], this is [Name] with [Company]. I’m reaching out about a [role] opportunity in [market]. If you’re open to a quick conversation, call me at [number]. If you prefer no recruiting outreach, tell me and I’ll suppress this number.”

Operational note: Capture consent and opt-out dispositions in your ATS/CRM or dialer dispositions, then apply suppression before the next outreach attempt. Use the same disposition labels across your team so corrections are reusable.

Common pitfalls

Myth: “Direct dial means mobile.” Reality: direct dial can be an office direct line. If you don’t separate by line type, you’ll misread performance and blame recruiters.
Myth: “More records = more hires.” Reality: identity errors scale faster than your team can clean them. Require NPI + license matching and suppression workflows before scaling volume.
Counting IVR as success. If your dialer reports “connected” when an IVR picks up, your Connect Rate looks fine while recruiters talk to nobody. Track Answer Rate too.
No shared opt-out handling. If opt-outs live in personal notes, you’ll re-contact the same physician from another seat.
Testing without controls. If you compare sources across different times of day, specialties, or scripts, you’ll pick the wrong winner.

How to improve results

1) Standardize dispositions and measure per call block

Measurement instructions required: yes. Use a consistent disposition list so your data improves over time:

Human answer (physician)
Human answer (staff/gatekeeper)
Voicemail
IVR/switchboard
Wrong person
Opt-out

Track outcomes using the canonical definitions:

Connect Rate = connected calls / total dials (per 100 dials).
Answer Rate = human answers / connected calls (per 100 connected calls).

Also track a recruiter-facing metric: time-to-first live physician conversation per call block. That’s what moves submittals.

2) Improve identity accuracy with NPI + license matching feedback loops

When a recruiter logs “wrong person,” treat it as a data event, not a note. Suppress the number and push the correction back into your source of truth so it doesn’t recycle.

3) Sequence by line type and timing (don’t force one channel)

Mobile-first is not always the right first step. Use the sequencing table above and adjust by specialty, practice setting, and your team’s call windows.

Legal and ethical use

Use legitimate recruiting outreach only. Operational requirements:

Respect opt-out: if a physician asks you to stop, stop and suppress across your team.
Minimize disclosure: don’t share sensitive details with gatekeepers or third parties.
Follow applicable calling/texting rules: align your process with your organization’s counsel and policies.

Baseline reference: FCC overview of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Evidence and trust notes

Identity baselines: the US NPI registry is a standard starting point for provider identity anchoring, but it is not a contact-data source by itself: NPPES (CMS) NPI registry.

How we think about verification, suppression, and trust: Heartbeat trust methodology.

Outreach governance baseline: https://www.fcc.gov/general/telephone-consumer-protection-act-1991-tcpa.

FAQs

What is a physician direct dial database?

It’s a dataset designed to help you reach a physician without going through a switchboard, ideally with identity keys (NPI + license matching), line type labeling, refresh, and suppression for opt-outs and wrong-person reports.

Does direct dial always mean mobile?

No. Direct dial can be an office direct line that is staff-answered or only works during clinic hours. Line type determines how you should sequence outreach.

How do I test a direct dial database quickly?

Run controlled call blocks with the same recruiter, script, and time window. Track Connect Rate per 100 dials and Answer Rate per 100 connected calls, and log wrong-person and opt-out dispositions.

What fields should be included in a direct dial export?

At minimum: NPI, name, specialty, license matching fields (license state/number or equivalent), phone number, line type, freshness indicator (refresh/verification), and governance fields for opt-out/suppression.

What should I require from a vendor besides the numbers?

Identity keys (NPI + license matching), line type per record, refresh cadence, and centralized opt-out suppression. If they can’t show these, you’ll spend time cleaning instead of recruiting.

How should opt-outs be handled?

Capture the opt-out immediately, suppress it across all recruiters and channels, and avoid re-contact. This protects physicians and your brand.

Next steps

Use the Weighted Checklist to score your current source and any vendor you’re considering.
Operational deep dives: phone validation for direct dials and NPI + license matching.
If you want to evaluate Heartbeat.ai in your workflow, start free search & preview data.

About the Author

Ben Argeband is the Founder and CEO of Swordfish.ai and Heartbeat.ai. With deep expertise in data and SaaS, he has built two successful platforms trusted by over 50,000 sales and recruitment professionals. Ben’s mission is to help teams find direct contact information for hard-to-reach professionals and decision-makers, providing the shortest route to their next win. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.