Improving Healthcare Access Through Reliable Clinician Information
Accurate and up-to-date provider data is essential for patients to find appropriate care within their insurance networks, avoid unexpected costs, and access services like telehealth. Fragmented or outdated directories create barriers, leading to delays and confusion for both patients and healthcare providers. Streamlining data verification across health systems, payers, and practices can significantly enhance patient access and system efficiency.
On November 1, 2026, Alex Ding, MD, MBA, Chief Medical and Public Affairs Officer at DataSpring, discussed the critical role of accurate provider data in improving healthcare access during a guest appearance on the FINN Voices podcast hosted by Beth Friedman, FACHDM, senior partner at FINN Partners. The conversation highlighted that one-quarter of surveyed medical practices receive 15 or more verification calls per month, with 40% of those calls lasting over 15 minutes—demonstrating a systemic inefficiency in data management across health systems, payers, and provider groups. These fragmented directories contribute to patient confusion, unexpected out-of-network charges, and delays in care, particularly when providers are listed as accepting new patients or offering telehealth services that no longer exist. The core issue stems from inconsistent data collection across multiple sources without standardized verification processes or interoperable systems like FHIR-based APIs.
The background reveals a long-standing challenge: despite the digital transformation of healthcare, provider directories remain outdated and unreliable due to manual updates, lack of coordination between stakeholders, and absence of shared data standards. Health plans, hospitals, and clinics operate with siloed information, leading to “ghost networks” where providers are listed but unreachable or nonparticipating. DataSpring’s research underscores the administrative burden on practices, which could be red
Accurate provider data could significantly reduce patient frustration and financial risk in navigating healthcare, particularly for those with complex care needs or limited digital literacy. When directories are reliable, patients may be more likely to seek timely care, reducing avoidable emergency visits and improving chronic disease management. This shift may also influence insurer behavior, incentivizing plans to invest in data quality to retain members and reduce claims disputes. The broader healthcare ecosystem—providers, payers, and technology vendors—could benefit from reduced administrative overhead, freeing staff for patient-facing work. A comparable precedent is the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), which initially faced resistance but eventually improved care coordination when interoperability standards were established. However, unlike EHRs, provider directories have not yet seen a regulatory or market-driven mandate for standardization. The next phase may invol