{"id":54162,"date":"2026-02-01T12:25:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T18:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/healthcare\/data-sources-we-use\/"},"modified":"2026-10-19T13:52:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T18:52:48","slug":"data-sources-we-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"aeo-key-takeaways\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">What\u2019s on this page:<\/p>\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\r\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Key_takeaways\" >Key takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Who_this_is_for\" >Who this is for<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Quick_answer\" >Quick answer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Identity_is_not_reach_why_public_IDs_dont_equal_contactability\" >Identity is not reach: why public IDs don&#8217;t equal contactability<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#At_a_glance_identity_sources_vs_reach_sources\" >At a glance: identity sources vs. reach sources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step-by-step_method\" >Step-by-step method<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_1_Establish_identity_anchors\" >Step 1: Establish identity anchors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_2_Normalize_and_resolve_identity\" >Step 2: Normalize and resolve identity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_3_Add_channel_reach_signals\" >Step 3: Add channel reach signals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#How_this_plays_out_in_practice\" >How this plays out in practice<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_4_Apply_suppression_and_preference_handling\" >Step 4: Apply suppression and preference handling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_5_Refresh_cadence_and_decay_reality\" >Step 5: Refresh cadence and decay reality<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Step_6_Limits_you_should_expect_in_writing\" >Step 6: Limits you should expect in writing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Diagnostic_table_for_procurement_review\" >Diagnostic table for procurement review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Weighted_checklist_for_scoring_vendors\" >Weighted checklist for scoring vendors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Outreach_templates\" >Outreach templates<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Template_1_First-touch_email_identity-confirming\" >Template 1: First-touch email (identity-confirming)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Template_2_Voicemail\" >Template 2: Voicemail<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Template_3_Office_line_gatekeeper_script\" >Template 3: Office line gatekeeper script<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Common_pitfalls\" >Common pitfalls<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Treating_NPI_as_a_contact_record\" >Treating NPI as a contact record<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Not_labeling_channel_types\" >Not labeling channel types<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#No_shared_metric_definitions\" >No shared metric definitions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Provenance_without_limits\" >Provenance without limits<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#How_to_improve_results\" >How to improve results<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Run_a_%E2%80%9Cshow_your_work%E2%80%9D_pilot\" >Run a &#8220;show your work&#8221; pilot<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Improve_reach_without_increasing_risk\" >Improve reach without increasing risk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Build_state-by-state_verification_into_the_workflow\" >Build state-by-state verification into the workflow<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Legal_and_ethical_use\" >Legal and ethical use<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Evidence_and_trust_notes\" >Evidence and trust notes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Procurement_artifacts_to_request\" >Procurement artifacts to request<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#What_are_the_best_data_sources_for_provider_identity\" >What are the best data sources for provider identity?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Why_cant_a_public_registry_guarantee_contactability\" >Why can&#8217;t a public registry guarantee contactability?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#What_metrics_should_we_require_in_a_pilot\" >What metrics should we require in a pilot?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#How_do_we_evaluate_%E2%80%9Cfreshness%E2%80%9D_without_relying_on_vendor_promises\" >How do we evaluate &#8220;freshness&#8221; without relying on vendor promises?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#What_documentation_should_a_vendor_provide_to_prove_provenance\" >What documentation should a vendor provide to prove provenance?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Does_Heartbeatai_use_patient_data\" >Does Heartbeat.ai use patient data?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#Next_steps\" >Next steps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#About_the_Author\" >About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_takeaways\"><\/span>Key takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Identity sources such as NPPES\/CMS NPI and state medical boards help identify providers, but do not guarantee a working contact channel.<\/li>\n<li>Keep identity fields distinct from reach signals, and label channel types such as direct, office, or switchboard.<\/li>\n<li>Ask vendors to document their refresh, verification, and suppression processes, including how they handle opt-outs and known-bad channels.<\/li>\n<li>Compare vendors with shared metric definitions, stated denominators, and a repeatable pilot report.<\/li>\n<li>Test the same segment across multiple time windows to assess how contact outcomes and suppression change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"article-last-updated\"><strong>Last updated:<\/strong> August 29, 2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>By Ben Argeband, Founder &amp; CEO of Heartbeat.ai<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_this_is_for\"><\/span>Who this is for<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For buyers, compliance reviewers, and evaluation teams, the key question is: where did provider contact data come from, and what are its limits?<\/p>\n<p>Three commitments run through everything below: transparency over marketing, disclosed limitations over vague promises, and no patient data. This is clinician and professional contactability data for legitimate recruiting outreach, not clinical or patient information.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quick_answer\"><\/span>Quick answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<dl>\n<dt>Core answer<\/dt>\n<dd>Provider contact data holds up when identity sources (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state medical boards, FSMB) are kept separate from channel reach signals, then refreshed and suppressed on an ongoing basis.<\/dd>\n<dt>Key insight<\/dt>\n<dd>Identity sources confirm who a provider is. Reach sources tell you whether a recruiter can actually contact them today.<\/dd>\n<dt>Best for<\/dt>\n<dd>Buyers, compliance reviewers, and procurement teams evaluating vendor provenance.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Compliance and safety<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This method is for legitimate recruiting outreach only. Respect candidate privacy, opt-out requests, and local data laws. Heartbeat does not provide medical or legal advice.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Identity_is_not_reach_why_public_IDs_dont_equal_contactability\"><\/span>Identity is not reach: why public IDs don&#8217;t equal contactability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Procurement reviews can go wrong when teams treat identity registries as contact databases. They serve different purposes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Identity<\/strong> answers: who is this provider, and can we uniquely identify them?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reach<\/strong> answers: can we reliably contact them through a phone or email channel in a way that fits a recruiting workflow?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>NPPES and other public registries can serve as identity anchors. As the article notes, having a National Provider Identifier does not confirm that a provider is currently licensed or credentialed; the identifier is an administrative number, not a live directory. Identity sources also are not designed to maintain a working phone number or currently delivering email address. Treating them as contact databases can lead to wasted recruiter time.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"At_a_glance_identity_sources_vs_reach_sources\"><\/span>At a glance: identity sources vs. reach sources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"table-scroll\" style=\"overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;width:100%\">\n<table class=\"separated-content\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Category<\/th>\n<th>What it answers<\/th>\n<th>Examples<\/th>\n<th>What it does not guarantee<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Identity sources<\/td>\n<td>Unique identification and professional status<\/td>\n<td>NPPES; CMS NPI; state medical boards; FSMB<\/td>\n<td>A working direct line or a currently delivering email<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reach sources<\/td>\n<td>Channel contactability for recruiting workflows<\/td>\n<td>Channel scoring, refresh, verification, suppression (Heartbeat.ai system)<\/td>\n<td>That every record is reachable, or reachable the same way<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step-by-step_method\"><\/span>Step-by-step method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A vendor, including Heartbeat.ai, should be able to explain this provenance workflow and its limitations clearly.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Establish_identity_anchors\"><\/span>Step 1: Establish identity anchors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>NPPES<\/strong>: the public registry behind the CMS NPI, maintained by CMS to assign unique identifiers to healthcare providers. It&#8217;s useful for stable identifiers, taxonomy codes, and baseline practice information, and CMS updates the query database daily.<\/li>\n<li><strong>State medical boards<\/strong>: authoritative for licensure status. Coverage, formats, and update schedules vary widely by state.<\/li>\n<li><strong>FSMB<\/strong>: supports cross-board identity context, useful for reconciling providers with multi-state licensure footprints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Identity sources are necessary but insufficient. They don&#8217;t guarantee you can reach the provider through a working channel.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Normalize_and_resolve_identity\"><\/span>Step 2: Normalize and resolve identity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is where messy data usually surfaces: name variants, multiple practice locations, shared clinic phone numbers.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Normalize names, including suffixes and common variants.<\/li>\n<li>Use stable identifiers like NPI to reduce false merges.<\/li>\n<li>Track multiple locations as separate reach contexts \u2014 a hospital switchboard behaves nothing like a private practice front desk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Add_channel_reach_signals\"><\/span>Step 3: Add channel reach signals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Channel data isn&#8217;t a single field. It&#8217;s a set of signals that need evaluation for recency, role (direct vs. office), and workflow fit.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Phone<\/strong>: could be a direct mobile, office line, call center, or switchboard. Each behaves differently in a recruiting context.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: could be personal, institutional, a group inbox, or simply outdated. Deliverability shifts as providers move roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Treat channel reach as probabilistic, not binary. For speed-to-conversation workflows, signals intended to reduce wasted dials \u2014 such as mobile numbers ranked by answer probability \u2014 may help recruiter throughput more than raw list volume alone.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_this_plays_out_in_practice\"><\/span>How this plays out in practice<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Anchor identity first<\/strong> using NPPES\/CMS NPI and licensure context so records are auditable and deduped.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep identity fields separate from channel fields<\/strong> so nobody confuses &#8220;verified identity&#8221; with &#8220;reachable channel.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Label channel types<\/strong> \u2014 direct vs. office vs. switchboard, institutional vs. personal email \u2014 so recruiters pick the right approach.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Refresh and suppress continuously<\/strong> so wrong-party numbers, opt-outs, and known-bad channels stop consuming recruiter time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Report outcomes with shared definitions<\/strong> so procurement can compare pilots apples-to-apples.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Apply_suppression_and_preference_handling\"><\/span>Step 4: Apply suppression and preference handling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Provenance isn&#8217;t only about what&#8217;s included \u2014 it&#8217;s also what&#8217;s excluded.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Honor opt-outs and internal do-not-contact lists.<\/li>\n<li>Suppress known-bad channels: hard bounces, disconnected numbers, confirmed wrong-party contacts.<\/li>\n<li>Respect role boundaries, such as office lines that explicitly decline recruiting calls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Suppression reduces raw list size, but may improve recruiter efficiency and help manage compliance risk. A smaller, cleaner list can be more useful than a larger, stale one.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Refresh_cadence_and_decay_reality\"><\/span>Step 5: Refresh cadence and decay reality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Static lists can decay. A workable process combines access, refresh, verification, and suppression. Ask vendors to explain how these pieces interact; otherwise, you may be receiving a snapshot that can become stale after delivery.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_6_Limits_you_should_expect_in_writing\"><\/span>Step 6: Limits you should expect in writing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>State-by-state variability<\/strong>: medical boards publish different fields on different schedules in different formats, which can create identity mismatches that surface as wrong-party confirmations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clinic-hour gating<\/strong>: office lines may only be reachable during narrow windows, and switchboards route unpredictably \u2014 this typically lowers Connect Rate (connected calls divided by total dials).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Institutional churn<\/strong>: institutional emails and group inboxes change as providers switch roles or systems update directories, which tends to lower Deliverability Rate and raise Bounce Rate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Channel ambiguity<\/strong>: a number that&#8217;s &#8220;good&#8221; for one workflow can be wrong for another, which can drag down Answer Rate even when Connect Rate looks fine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For email deliverability monitoring practices referenced in pilots, Google Postmaster Tools is a common reference point for domain and IP reputation.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Diagnostic_table_for_procurement_review\"><\/span>Diagnostic table for procurement review<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Use this to separate identity provenance from reach provenance. It&#8217;s built to drop into an RFP response matrix.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-scroll\" style=\"overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;width:100%\">\n<table class=\"separated-content\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Source type<\/th>\n<th>Examples<\/th>\n<th>Best for<\/th>\n<th>Typical limitations<\/th>\n<th>What to ask (procurement)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Identity registry<\/td>\n<td>NPPES; CMS NPI<\/td>\n<td>Unique identification, taxonomy, baseline practice info<\/td>\n<td>Not designed for contactability; fields can be stale<\/td>\n<td>How do you handle multiple locations and name variants? How do you prevent false merges?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Licensure authority<\/td>\n<td>State medical boards<\/td>\n<td>License status verification, state-by-state context<\/td>\n<td>Formats vary; update timing varies; some data isn&#8217;t standardized<\/td>\n<td>Which boards are integrated? How do you handle states with limited online detail?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Federated licensure context<\/td>\n<td>FSMB<\/td>\n<td>Cross-state identity reconciliation support<\/td>\n<td>Not a direct channel source<\/td>\n<td>How is FSMB used in matching and exception handling?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Channel reach system<\/td>\n<td>Heartbeat.ai (reach scoring + suppression)<\/td>\n<td>Operational reach for recruiter workflows<\/td>\n<td>Channels decay; wrong-party risk; compliance constraints<\/td>\n<td>How do you refresh? How do you suppress? What metrics do you report, and with what denominators?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Weighted_checklist_for_scoring_vendors\"><\/span>Weighted checklist for scoring vendors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A 100-point rubric. Adjust weights to your own risk tolerance and workflow needs.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>30 pts \u2014 Provenance clarity<\/strong>: can the vendor separate identity sources from channel sources and explain each in plain terms?<\/li>\n<li><strong>20 pts \u2014 Refresh and suppression system<\/strong>: is there an explicit access, refresh, verification, suppression process, and can they show how it runs?<\/li>\n<li><strong>15 pts \u2014 Metric definitions and reporting<\/strong>: do they report Connect Rate, Answer Rate, Deliverability Rate, Bounce Rate, and Reply Rate with denominators?<\/li>\n<li><strong>15 pts \u2014 Compliance controls<\/strong>: opt-out handling, do-not-contact suppression, audit logs, policy alignment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>10 pts \u2014 Workflow fit<\/strong>: can recruiters use it without standing up a data team?<\/li>\n<li><strong>10 pts \u2014 Limits disclosed<\/strong>: do they publish coverage gaps and known failure modes, or just make claims?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Outreach_templates\"><\/span>Outreach templates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Designed to lower wrong-party and complaint risk. Keep opt-out handling simple and consistent with your policy.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Template_1_First-touch_email_identity-confirming\"><\/span>Template 1: First-touch email (identity-confirming)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Subject:<\/strong> Quick check \u2014 is this the best email for recruiting outreach?<\/p>\n<p>Hello Dr. [Last Name],<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m reaching out about a [specialty\/role] opportunity and want to confirm I have the right contact for you. If this isn&#8217;t the best email, could you reply with the preferred address (or tell me to stop contacting you)?<\/p>\n<p>Thanks,<\/p>\n<p>[Name], [Title]<\/p>\n<p>[Organization]<\/p>\n<p>[Phone]<\/p>\n<p>Reply &#8220;opt out&#8221; and I&#8217;ll remove you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Template_2_Voicemail\"><\/span>Template 2: Voicemail<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Hi Dr. [Last Name], this is [Name] with [Org]. I&#8217;m calling about a [role] opportunity. If you&#8217;re open to a quick conversation, call me at [number]. If you prefer no recruiting calls, tell me and I&#8217;ll mark you do-not-contact. Thanks.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Template_3_Office_line_gatekeeper_script\"><\/span>Template 3: Office line gatekeeper script<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Hi \u2014 quick question. I&#8217;m trying to reach Dr. [Last Name] about a professional opportunity. Is there a better number or email for recruiting outreach, or should I send something to a general inbox?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_pitfalls\"><\/span>Common pitfalls<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Treating_NPI_as_a_contact_record\"><\/span>Treating NPI as a contact record<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>NPI is an identity anchor, not proof of reach. Teams that assume &#8220;NPI equals direct line&#8221; burn recruiter time and inflate dial volume without improving connects.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Not_labeling_channel_types\"><\/span>Not labeling channel types<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Without labeling direct mobile vs. office line vs. switchboard, recruiters can&#8217;t choose the right approach, and your metrics turn into noise.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No_shared_metric_definitions\"><\/span>No shared metric definitions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Require consistent definitions and denominators across vendors and internal reporting:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Connect Rate<\/strong> = connected calls \/ total dials<\/li>\n<li><strong>Answer Rate<\/strong> = human answers \/ connected calls<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deliverability Rate<\/strong> = delivered emails \/ sent emails<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bounce Rate<\/strong> = bounced emails \/ sent emails<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reply Rate<\/strong> = replies \/ delivered emails<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Provenance_without_limits\"><\/span>Provenance without limits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Listing sources isn&#8217;t enough. You need written limitations and a repeatable test plan your team can rerun later.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_improve_results\"><\/span>How to improve results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Run_a_%E2%80%9Cshow_your_work%E2%80%9D_pilot\"><\/span>Run a &#8220;show your work&#8221; pilot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A show-your-work pilot clarifies scope, definitions, and limitations, helping teams compare vendors without relying only on marketing claims.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Copy\/paste pilot report template (for procurement)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Timestamp:<\/strong> [YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Scope:<\/strong> Specialty [ ], States [ ], Setting [ ], Seniority [ ], Total records tested [ ]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Identity anchors used:<\/strong> [NPI] [license] [both]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Channel types tested:<\/strong> [direct mobile] [office line] [institutional email] [personal email]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Suppression applied:<\/strong> [opt-outs] [prior wrong-party] [hard bounces] [internal DNC]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Definitions (must match):<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Connect Rate = connected calls \/ total dials<\/p>\n<p>Answer Rate = human answers \/ connected calls<\/p>\n<p>Deliverability Rate = delivered emails \/ sent emails<\/p>\n<p>Bounce Rate = bounced emails \/ sent emails<\/p>\n<p>Reply Rate = replies \/ delivered emails<\/p>\n<p><strong>Results:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Calls: total dials [ ], connected calls [ ], human answers [ ]<\/p>\n<p>Emails: sent [ ], delivered [ ], bounced [ ], replies [ ]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Limitations observed:<\/strong> [clinic-hour gating] [switchboard routing] [gatekeeper-heavy offices] [state-by-state variability]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Decision:<\/strong> [expand] [adjust scope] [reject] + why<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Run the same template across two time windows \u2014 for example, week one and week three \u2014 and compare outcomes using the same definitions and denominators. This can help assess changes in performance and suppression impact.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_reach_without_increasing_risk\"><\/span>Improve reach without increasing risk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Segment by workflow<\/strong>: urgent roles may justify more calling; longer-cycle roles may work better email-first.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use suppression as a performance tool<\/strong>: removing wrong-party and opted-out contacts cuts wasted touches and complaints.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Route recruiters to the right channel<\/strong>: direct lines for speed, office lines for context, email for asynchronous confirmation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_state-by-state_verification_into_the_workflow\"><\/span>Build state-by-state verification into the workflow<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If compliance requires licensure confirmation, build it into the process rather than asking recruiters to improvise. Start here: <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/state-license-lookups\/\">state license lookups<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Legal_and_ethical_use\"><\/span>Legal and ethical use<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Not legal advice \u2014 a practical checklist for staying compliant while keeping recruiting moving.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use contact data for legitimate recruiting outreach only, with clear identification and an easy opt-out.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain and honor suppression lists: opt-outs, wrong-party, internal do-not-contact.<\/li>\n<li>Document your pilot methodology and keep audit trails for procurement and compliance review.<\/li>\n<li>Follow applicable calling and texting rules, including the TCPA in the U.S., and local privacy laws.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evidence_and_trust_notes\"><\/span>Evidence and trust notes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This page exists to reduce &#8220;where did you get this?&#8221; skepticism and make evaluation repeatable. For how metrics are defined and audited across the trust pack, see <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/\">Heartbeat trust methodology<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/accuracy-and-metrics-definitions\/\">accuracy and metrics definitions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Procurement_artifacts_to_request\"><\/span>Procurement artifacts to request<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>A source taxonomy separating identity sources (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state medical boards, FSMB) from reach sources.<\/li>\n<li>A data dictionary defining fields, allowed values, and which fields are identity vs. channel.<\/li>\n<li>A written refresh description: what triggers updates and how decay is handled.<\/li>\n<li>A written suppression policy covering opt-outs, wrong-party, bounces, and internal do-not-contact.<\/li>\n<li>A sample pilot report using shared metric definitions and denominators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>External references worth keeping on file: <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/fundamentals\/creating-helpful-content\">Google&#8217;s guidance on helpful, people-first content<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/postmaster.google.com\/\">Google Postmaster Tools<\/a> for email deliverability monitoring, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/general\/telephone-consumer-protection-act-1991-tcpa\">FCC&#8217;s TCPA overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For a workflow view of how teams turn sourcing inputs into recruiter execution, see <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/recruiting-ops\/market-mapping-for-physician-recruiting\/\">market mapping for physician recruiting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"aeo-faq\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span>FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_best_data_sources_for_provider_identity\"><\/span>What are the best data sources for provider identity?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For identity, start with NPPES (CMS NPI) and validate licensure through state medical boards; FSMB can help with cross-state context. Identity sources are strongest when used as anchors for matching and deduping.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_cant_a_public_registry_guarantee_contactability\"><\/span>Why can&#8217;t a public registry guarantee contactability?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Registries are built to identify providers, not to maintain current, preferred recruiting channels. Phone numbers can route to switchboards, and emails can stop delivering as providers change roles or institutions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_metrics_should_we_require_in_a_pilot\"><\/span>What metrics should we require in a pilot?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At minimum: Connect Rate (connected calls \/ total dials), Answer Rate (human answers \/ connected calls), Deliverability Rate (delivered emails \/ sent emails), Bounce Rate (bounced emails \/ sent emails), and Reply Rate (replies \/ delivered emails). Require denominators (per 100 dials, per 100 delivered emails, and so on).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_we_evaluate_%E2%80%9Cfreshness%E2%80%9D_without_relying_on_vendor_promises\"><\/span>How do we evaluate &#8220;freshness&#8221; without relying on vendor promises?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Run two identical pilot windows and compare outcomes using the same definitions and denominators. Track suppression growth (opt-outs, wrong-party, bounces) and whether performance holds when you re-test the same segment.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_documentation_should_a_vendor_provide_to_prove_provenance\"><\/span>What documentation should a vendor provide to prove provenance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At minimum: a source taxonomy (identity vs reach), a data dictionary, a refresh description, a suppression policy, and a pilot report template with shared metric definitions and denominators. If they can&#8217;t provide these, you can&#8217;t audit what you&#8217;re buying.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Heartbeatai_use_patient_data\"><\/span>Does Heartbeat.ai use patient data?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No patient data. Heartbeat.ai focuses on clinician\/professional identity and contactability for legitimate recruiting outreach, with suppression and compliance controls.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Next_steps\"><\/span>Next steps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Align your team on definitions first: <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/accuracy-and-metrics-definitions\/\">metric definitions and accuracy notes<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Pressure-test matching quality: <a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/provider-contact-data\/npi-license-matching\/\">NPI and license matching<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Run a controlled pilot with procurement-ready reporting: <a href=\"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/signup\">create a Heartbeat account<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span><b>About the Author<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/author\/ben-argeband\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ben Argeband<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 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&#8217;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 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ben-m-argeband-2427a8a3\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"jobTitle\":\"Founder & CEO of Heartbeat.ai\",\"name\":\"Ben Argeband\"},\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-05\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-05\",\"description\":\"A procurement-ready breakdown of identity vs. reach sources (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state medical boards, FSMB), plus limitations, metric definitions, procurement artifacts to request, and a copy\/paste pilot report template.\",\"headline\":\"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Heartbeat.ai\"}}<\/script><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"For identity, start with NPPES (CMS NPI) and validate licensure through state medical boards; FSMB can help with cross-state context. Identity sources are strongest when used as anchors for matching and deduping.\"},\"name\":\"What are the best data sources for provider identity?\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Registries are built to identify providers, not to maintain current, preferred recruiting channels. Phone numbers can route to switchboards, and emails can stop delivering as providers change roles or institutions.\"},\"name\":\"Why can't a public registry guarantee contactability?\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"At minimum: Connect Rate (connected calls \/ total dials), Answer Rate (human answers \/ connected calls), Deliverability Rate (delivered emails \/ sent emails), Bounce Rate (bounced emails \/ sent emails), and Reply Rate (replies \/ delivered emails). Require denominators (per 100 dials, per 100 delivered emails, and so on).\"},\"name\":\"What metrics should we require in a pilot?\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Run two identical pilot windows and compare outcomes using the same definitions and denominators. Track suppression growth (opt-outs, wrong-party, bounces) and whether performance holds when you re-test the same segment.\"},\"name\":\"How do we evaluate \\\"freshness\\\" without relying on vendor promises?\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"At minimum: a source taxonomy (identity vs reach), a data dictionary, a refresh description, a suppression policy, and a pilot report template with shared metric definitions and denominators. If they can't provide these, you can't audit what you're buying.\"},\"name\":\"What documentation should a vendor provide to prove provenance?\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No patient data. Heartbeat.ai focuses on clinician\/professional identity and contactability for legitimate recruiting outreach, with suppression and compliance controls.\"},\"name\":\"Does Heartbeat.ai use patient data?\"}]}<\/script><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A procurement-ready breakdown of identity vs. reach sources for provider contact data, with limits, metrics, and a pilot report template.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":54161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_custom_permalink":"trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\r\n<title>Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\/paste pilot template.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\/paste pilot template.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Heartbeat.ai\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ben Argeband\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ben Argeband\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ben Argeband\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e9bcffa7dc47cac9f2379e4449e98207\"},\"headline\":\"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2445,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/\",\"name\":\"Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\\\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\\\/paste pilot template.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/trust-methodology\\\/data-sources-we-use\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/\",\"name\":\"Heartbeat.ai\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Heartbeat.ai\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/Heartbeat.ai-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hc.heartbeat.ai\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/Heartbeat.ai-logo.png\",\"width\":704,\"height\":126,\"caption\":\"Heartbeat.ai\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e9bcffa7dc47cac9f2379e4449e98207\",\"name\":\"Ben Argeband\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ben Argeband\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/heartbeat.ai\\\/resources\\\/author\\\/ben-argeband\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test","description":"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\/paste pilot template.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test","og_description":"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\/paste pilot template.","og_url":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/","og_site_name":"Heartbeat.ai","article_published_time":"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Ben Argeband","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ben Argeband","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/"},"author":{"name":"Ben Argeband","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#\/schema\/person\/e9bcffa7dc47cac9f2379e4449e98207"},"headline":"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)","datePublished":"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/"},"wordCount":2445,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/","url":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/","name":"Data sources for provider contact data: provenance, limits, and how to test","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png","datePublished":"2026-02-01T18:25:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-19T18:52:48+00:00","description":"See which sources support provider identity (NPPES\/CMS NPI, state boards, FSMB) vs. contact channels, plus limitations, procurement artifacts, and a copy\/paste pilot template.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png","contentUrl":"http:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/data-sources-we-use-48f27894.png","width":1024,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/trust-methodology\/data-sources-we-use\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Data sources for provider contact data (provenance, limits, and how to test)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#website","url":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/","name":"Heartbeat.ai","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#organization","name":"Heartbeat.ai","url":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Heartbeat.ai-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/hc.heartbeat.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Heartbeat.ai-logo.png","width":704,"height":126,"caption":"Heartbeat.ai"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/#\/schema\/person\/e9bcffa7dc47cac9f2379e4449e98207","name":"Ben Argeband","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9cdd6acf262740ced0b6a1c76378e93640df32a98d2f4d29507f31fbce6817e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ben Argeband"},"url":"https:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/author\/ben-argeband\/"}]}},"permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54162"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66899,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54162\/revisions\/66899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heartbeat.ai\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}