DEA registration validation changes challenge healthcare accreditation

Editor's Note

Since February 2024, changes to the Registrant Validation Toolset from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have introduced new hurdles for healthcare organizations, MedTrainer October 2024 reports. The updates, which aim to prevent fraud by adding multi-factor authentication, are causing compliance challenges during primary source verification (PSV).

Credentialers are now required to obtain an emailed token from registrants to access the validation toolset, a step that has led to delays and compliance issues during accreditation and regulatory surveys. These changes have particularly impacted organizations working with the NCQA, AAAHC, and QUAD A, the outlet notes. Surveyors have increasingly cited deficiencies when DEA verification documents lack critical information, such as the direct URL showing where the data was sourced. For organizations to meet compliance standards, verification must be completed using either the DEA’s Registrant Validation Toolset or the Registrant Datasets Access (RDA) system.

There are three options to ensure DEA verification:

• coordinating with registrants for timely token access
• applying for RDA (which can take up to 4 weeks)
• using a third-party vendor with RDA access.

Despite the disruptions, these new security measures may ultimately benefit healthcare organizations by strengthening data integrity and preventing fraudulent activity. For perioperative leaders, staying compliant with these evolving standards is crucial to maintaining operational integrity and avoiding potential accreditation issues.