Why the Long NPI – BCBSTX?
By Darrell Pruitt; DDS More than a year ago, Dr. Robert Ahlstrom, an ADA [American Dental Association] and NHII (National Healthcare Information Infrastructure) task force member, told attendees to the ADA’s 3rd International Evidence-Based Dentistry Conference that the NPI number is “Critical to the future of dentistry.” But, to this day, he refuses to reveal why. Even though I have learned that he is a very shy man on the Internet; on that Sunday in May in ADA Headquarters, he confidently added, “It is only voluntary unless you want to get paid.” His case-closed proclamation shut down discussion cold in a Soviet manner. Did I mention that this occurred at an “Evidence-Based Dentistry” conference? Soviet East Germany was also called the German Democratic Republic. NPI Harmful to Dentists and Patients There is nothing evidence-based or otherwise about the NPI number – that benefits anyone but healthcare stakeholders. In fact, the number actually harms both dentists and patients. Like A
