API

The ProPublica Vital Signs API is a RESTful API with a single endpoint. It takes a single parameter (the doctor’s NPI) and returns a JSON object containing a set of fields with all of the available information for that doctor. You can read more about each field in our data dictionary.

Authentication

To use the Vital Signs API, you must sign up for an API key. Usage is limited to 5000 requests per day (rate limits are subject to change). The API key must be included in all API requests to the server, as an HTTP header:

X-API-Key: PROPUBLICA_API_KEY

Endpoint

URL	HTTP Verb	Functionality
/doctors/	GET	Retrieve data

URL Parameters

• npi: Doctor’s NPI.

Example Call

GET
https://api.propublica.org/doctors/1609818822

If your PROPUBLICA_API_KEY is abcdef01234567890 and you wish to retrieve data on NPI 1609818822, you could perform a test request in your shell like:

curl -H "X-API-Key: abcdef01234567890" "https://api.propublica.org/doctors/1609818822"

Example Response

{
   "npi": "3333333333",
   "npi_last_update_date": "2007-07-08",
   "npi_deactivation_date": null,
   "npi_reactivation_date": null,
   "replacement_npi": null,
   "ein": null,
   "provider_organization_name_legal_business_name": null,
   "provider_last_name_legal_name": "WIEBE",
   "provider_first_name": "DAVID",
   "provider_middle_name": "A",
   "provider_name_prefix_text": null,
   "provider_name_suffix_text": null,
   "provider_credential_text": "M.D.",
   "provider_first_line_business_mailing_address": "PO BOX 2168",
   "provider_second_line_business_mailing_address": null,
   "provider_business_mailing_address_city_name": "KEARNEY",
   "provider_business_mailing_address_state_name": "NE",
   "provider_business_mailing_address_postal_code": "688482168",
   "provider_business_mailing_address_country_code": "US",
   "provider_business_mailing_address_telephone_number": "3088652512",
   "provider_business_mailing_address_fax_number": "3088652506",
   "provider_first_line_business_practice_location_address": "3500 CENTRAL AVE",
   "provider_second_line_business_practice_location_address": null,
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_city_name": "KEARNEY",
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_state_name": "NE",
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_postal_code": "688472944",
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_country_code": "US",
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_telephone_number": "3088652512",
   "provider_business_practice_location_address_fax_number": "3088652506",
   "provider_gender_code": "M",
   "provider_specialty": "207X00000X",
   "hhs_exclusion": null,
   "hhs_exclusion_date": null,
   "hhs_exclusion_reinstatement": null,
   "hhs_exclusion_reinstatement_date": null,
   "hhs_exclusion_updated": null,
   "revoked_from_medicare": true,
   "revoked_updated": null,
   "terminated_by_medicaid": true,
   "terminated_states": "PA NY NJ",
   "terminated_updated": null,
   "average_number_of_services": 5.86,
   "peers_average_number_of_services": 5.69,
   "average_paid_per_patient": 395.92,
   "peers_average_paid_per_patient": 244.09,
   "percentage_of_5_office_visits": 0,
   "relative_number_of_5s_to_peers": "lower",
   "performs_more_services_than_peers": true,
   "paid_more_per_patient_than_peers": true,
   "treatment_scope": "2014",
   "number_of_payments": 170,
   "total_payment_amount": 76003.29,
   "number_of_days": 102,
   "number_companies_paying": 25,
   "speaking_payment": false,
   "top_5_drugs_for_doctor": [
     "NEXAVAR"
   ],
   "top_5_devices_for_doctor": [
     "COILS",
     "VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS",
     "THERASPHERE - BIO",
     "AORTIC STENT GRAFTS",
     "FLOW DIVERSION"
   ],
   "payments_updated": "2016-03-17",
   "payments_scope": "August 2013-December 2015",
   "number_of_patients_receiving_prescriptions": 620,
   "number_of_prescriptions": 8680,
   "percentage_of_patients_receiving_narcotics": 0.11,
   "percentage_of_patients_of_peers_receiving_narcotics": 0.21,
   "percentage_of_drugs_dangerous_for_seniors": 0.03,
   "percentage_of_drugs_from_peers_dangerous_for_seniors": 0.03,
   "brand_name_prescriber": "Far more than peers",
   "drug_price": "Far more than peers",
   "prescriptions_scope": "2014",
   "hospitals": [
      "OAK HILL HOSPITAL",
      " BROOKSVILLE REGIONAL HOSPITAL",
      " CITRUS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL",
      " VILLAGES REGIONAL HOSPITAL"
   ],
   "surgeries": [
      {
         "code": "8102",
         "count": 88, "description": "Cervical (Neck) Spinal Fusion",
         "no_complications": false, "complications_count": "1-10",
         "adjusted_complication_rate": 1.6, "low_adjusted_complication_rate": 0.6, "high_adjusted_complication_rate": 3.8, "adjusted_complication_rate_high_flag": false
      },
      {
         "code": "8108",
         "count": 297, "description": "Lumbar Spinal Fusion, Anterior Column, Posterior Approach",
         "no_complications": false, "complications_count": "1-10",
         "adjusted_complication_rate": 2.8, "low_adjusted_complication_rate": 1.7, "high_adjusted_complication_rate": 4.6, "adjusted_complication_rate_high_flag": false
      },
      {
         "code": "8107",
         "count": 209, "description": "Lumbar Spinal Fusion, Posterior Column and Approach",
         "no_complications": false, "complications_count": "1-10",
         "adjusted_complication_rate": 2.9, "low_adjusted_complication_rate": 1.6, "high_adjusted_complication_rate": 5.3, "adjusted_complication_rate_high_flag": false
      }
   ],
   "surgeries_updated": "2015-09-01",
   "surgeries_scope": "2009-2014",
   "medicare_participation": true,
   "medicare_participation_last_updated": "2017-03-08",
   "hhs_exclusion_type": "1128b7",
   "hhs_exclusion_type_description": "Fraud, kickbacks, and other prohibited activities.",
   "terminated_reapply_eligible": "NY"
 }